Alex Corver Edition- No 1: Titan Rises
by Rebel-Renegade-Fett
Summary: My story has been interesting, as it started out pretty normal and boring. I was born in Chester, England, as Alex Corver. When I turned 17, I sneaked into the British army. Soon after, the government found out and I was "volunteered" for the "Titan" Project. I am faster, stronger, more durable, more stamina and I heal faster than you can blink. And I'm ready to save my city.
1. Prologue

**A/N**

This is finally the start of a book I have been planning for sooo long, since a few years ago in fact. If you guys like this book, then please SHARE the story to your followers and friends. It would be a dream come true for me. My intial goal is to hit 500 views by the end of the book. Please help me hit this.

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 **Prologue...**

Delta city.

A fitting name for this new and impressive urban jungle. The massive skyscrapers tower over the clean suburbs, but like any city, it has a darker side. When the veils of night blanket the city, organised crime flourishes under the heavily corrupt police force.

They are free to extort and fight, without punishment or restraint.

Not for long.

I'm tired of the endless amounts of children left orphaned by being caught in the crossfire.

I'm tired of the judges smirking as cruel men walk free, leaving victims of their evil ruined.

I'm tired of watching, it's time to act.

I know what you're thinking, how can one man change so much? He needs determination, courage and resolve. Things that most men lack.

All things I have in surplus.

My story has been interesting, as it started out pretty normal and boring. I was born in Chester, England, as Alex Corver. When I turned 17, I sneaked into the British army. Soon after, the government found out and I was "volunteered" for the "Titan" Project.

It turns out that in World War Two, a British informant in the Japanese Army found out about a super weapon the Japanese were making. They called it the "Mirakuru" serum. In true spy fashion, the informant stole a sample and destroyed the submarine they were making it upon.

For the next 50 years, the Government had been perfecting the formula, eliminating all side effects. They tested it out on subjects, but they soon died and the project was stopped and the serum destroyed.

Not all of them.

Funnily enough, one of the subjects only temporarily died and guess who it was.

Me.

After that, I could do things others would never dream about. I am faster, stronger, more durable, more stamina and I heal faster than you can blink.

I soon found out that this shouldn't be taken lightly. With this, comes great risk. I need to lie low and make sure no-one finds me.

However, I feel like that's all about to change.

When I look in the mirror, I see a man with jet black hair in a modern pompadour style.

I see a man who has a hybrid body that combines athleticism with a muscular frame.

I see a man willing to what's necessary.

 _Let's go save this city._

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 **A/N**

Are you guys pumped? I certainly am.

My fancast of Alex is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but with jet black hair.


	2. Chapter 1: Enter

**A/N**

Okay guys, here we go. Are you ready?. Feel free to comment your opinions, I would love you forever for it. (Time to deal some Justice!)

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 **Chapter 1: Enter The Dragon...**

 **Day ?**

My body shudders as the first of the vile needles pierce my soft human flesh, the pain a slight pinch, but still causes a barely heard wince escape from my numb mouth. Needle, after needle, pierces into my prostrate body, one by one pouring in a thick substance, that I could feel clinging to my blood. It causes excruciating agony as it entwines with my DNA... no... when it binds with my very being.

Within a few mere minutes, I am no longer human. I am something more.

The inaudible chatter around me ceases and an eerie wait of anticipation commences.

My entire body tingles in a sensation I have never felt before, every muscle and bone in my body twitches and tenses. Just as quick as the euphoria happens, it stops. My desperation increases as I desperately cling onto my life, as I observe it, slipping away.

Then. Darkness consumes all.

"Dude?" my vision restores and I take a few deep breaths, as my heart feels like it's attempting to climb out of my heaving chest. As my senses regain their usual sharpness, I let go of the printer I had been unconsciously crushing. "You okay?" the voice re-emerges and relief flows over me as I realise it's my best friend Jake.

"Yeah. Just daydreaming. That's all." I barely choke out, by now, I noticed I was in the same office building, that I work in. It pays well, I never knew it would for being a regular technician.

"Okay then man, whatever you say. By my reckoning, you had another flashback." Jake knows me too well. Cleaning up my mess like I'm a child, he attempts to un-do the damage I inflicted on that poor printer. Jake is in my opinion, the greatest friend I could have.

He never judges, or pities you. At this precise moment, I couldn't be happier about that.

"I did. By now, I have come to terms with it. For every good thing in life, there is always a bad." I countered, a smile ripples across Jake's olive face.

"Ewwwww... you know I smelt? Depression, that's what. Seriously man, if there is a bad thing in your life, it's because he let it." he affirms and continues fiddling with the broken machine. After a few more muttered curses, he sighs and waves his hands in the air. "I give up." he announces. With the grace of a pig, he stretches, as he straightens his 5'8 body and pushes a hand through his wavy blonde hair.

"You just gave me a speech about not giving up, bro." I snicker and he chuckles. _I'm so lucky to have a great guy like him, as a friend. He always finds a way to cheer me up, when I am down._ For some odd reason, he has always stuck by me. Even when I told him about my "condition" he simply shrugged it off and we went to the bar for a drink.

"Except I don't have superpowers, speaking of thou which shall not be named, when are you getting out there?" he badgers me, it would be a miracle, if he went one day without asking. Gripping his shoulder firmly, I direct him towards our cubicle, that is reserved for and us and I shove him into his seat.

"One: Stop asking me. Two: Stop asking me. Three: Do I really need to say?" I patronise him with my "I mean it" tone, that I developed a long time ago. Standing above him to assert my control, I observe the way my friend looks over my posture.

"Boy, that's really good. That stance is so... overpowering, it's... perfect. Oh and that voice as well. You really need to use that when beating down thugs, you should also shout "I'm Batman" or something like that." he fidgets in his chair, I can only guess the one liners he is generating in his head.

"You know I haven't even finished the suit yet, right?" I assume he has, but the expression on his face says otherwise. Needless to say, I think that look is priceless and should be remembered forever. "I nearly have, but it's kinda hard considering, we barely make enough to cover material costs. You know I had to make it out of tight-fitting, reinforced leather? I highly doubt Batman and Deathstroke wear leather. All things considered, it's nearly done." I inform him on the current production status, which makes him flash the cheesy grin, I know and love him for.

"Good. I cannn'ttt wait to see it." he states, pointing up to the ceiling of the office, which I am certain our neighbors will find amusing. "In a more serious note." he snaps out of nowhere, slowly edging forwards in his seat and staring at me, directly to my eyes. "This city needs you man, it's been waiting for far too long. Remember the news this morning?" he inquires and slumps solemnly back into his chair. How could I forget? The story of a husband and wife brutally murdered last night, for simply refusing to hand over money. Reflecting on the news we heard from Delta Central this morning, I sit on my desk and place my feet on my comfortable chair.

"I promise you Jake: No-one is this city will suffer like that again." I assure myself as well as him. I can only hope that I have everything it takes to protect this city. Over the past three years since my initial "transformation", I have been learning fighting styles and new ways to use my strength. Having around 80% of my brain to use, it allows me to master martial arts and languages in weeks.

"I know Alex. I know." Jake discloses his faith in me. This boosts my fragile confidence, just knowing he believes in me, causes me to have belief in myself.

"Good Midday, Delta City, this is Lois Lane reporting here in Midtown Center." a feminine voice blares from the TV that hangs from the wall beside us, we both spin our heads to watch the rare occurence. No reporter from other cities ever show up, kinda like the heroes ignoring our plight. "I'm here at Echo Industries, where a showing, open to the public will be happening." my focus shifts around her background to see her standing in front of a large modern building, her black hair blocks the view of the open entrance. "Echo Industries haven't revealed the exact details, but have said they will unveil some cutting-edge technology they have recently developed. I'm sure it will be a night to remember. Back to you guys." she finishes and the view switches back to the anchors and there was a brief, but amusing shuffle as our co-workers sat back down.

"That was Lois Lane making a once in a lifetime appearance here on Delta Central, that's all for now and have a nice day." the elderly male anchor wraps up the news and Steve the supervisor unceremoniously switches off the TV. _Damn you, Steve._

"I think, we just found something to do tonight." Jake blurts out, I did a double take as I understood what he just said.

"You've got to be kidding me." I sigh.

"Nope." he bluntly responds, then he makes a weird hand gesture, that I absolutely no idea what it means. "You have offended my family and you offended the Shaolin Temple." he perplexes.

"Are you okay?" I question and shake his shoulders.

 **A few hours later - The Grand opening**

"I can't believe you are actually making me wear this!." I half-yell at my best friends as we approach the entrance to the gala in dark black tuxedos. All around us, people are dressed similarly, apart from the women who are wearing expensive-looking dresses.

"Quiet it down, will you. Tonight, we are respectable citizens of Delta City." he shushes me with a sligth nudge to my ribs, which was designed to make me annoyed.

"Aren't we always respecta-"

"Just two, no car." Jake cuts me off to inform the attendant, who nods and let's us slip through. Once we enter, it's like stepping into an episode of Downton Abbey. The whole building is filled with light and to the left of the entrance is a room with a dance floor that occupies the center. The design looks strictly old-fashioned, but it does have a cool vibe to it.

"This is cool and everything, but isn't this supposed to be a lab facility?" I beseeched my companion, as I am befuddled to the lack of equipment or this new technology they are supposed to be unveiling.

"Beats me." Jake responds casually, either he has an assumption about the decor, or he just doesn't care. "See you at eleven." he confirms our leaving time, before darting off at a pace that even surprised me. _What is on earth is he doing? Ah well, probably off to chat up some girls._ Being left without my buddy, I enter the room with the dance hall and pick up a glass of wine from a waiter coming around. Standing in the corner I observe the inhabitants of the room with keen interest. Focusing my hearing, I was surprised by what I heard.

"How much have you had to drink?" a female voice I picked out whispers, fury present in her voice.

"W-What is-is-s it to y-you?" a man replies, barely speaking from the overwhelming intoxication of expensive alcohol.

"That's it Ronald, we are going home!." the women physically drags him out of the room, I only just catch it out of the corner of my eye.

"Are you as bored as I am?" a deep voice startles me from behind and I almost spill my precious wine, as I spin around to face the vocal intruder. Surprisingly, it was a heavily built man wearing glasses and a dark blue suit, barely containing his huge form. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." he apologises, another surprise hit me as his voice was gentle and sympathetic.

"It's okay. To answer your question, yeah, it's really boring. However, I'm here for a friend, so I put up with it." I told him my reasoning, although I didn't really have to. I guess I just like the guy, even though I just met him. "What's your excuse." I request his reason.

"I'm here with Lois Lane." he briefs, which confuses me. _I never knew Lois Lane would have a boyfriend. She always seems so ruthless on TV._ "I'm also a reporter with the Daily Planet. The name's Clark Kent." he holds out his hand and I accept his hand with mine.

"Alex Corver. I'm a nobody really, I just work as a technician in an office building." I confessed, whilst keeping up appearances with a wide smile. When he let go I only just noticed how firm his grip is, after he let go, it was like a car had been taken off it.

"Don't get too down about yourself, no-one is nothing." Clark assures empathetically, giving me a smile of his own, I couldn't but return it with a smile, a real one this time.

"Welcome everyone!" A voice of an elegant voice rings out, demanding the complete attention of everyone in the room. Every head turns to meet the new arrival, which is a finely dressed middle aged man with a yard brush moustache. "Can I please to a moment to thank you all for gracing us with your presences, this beautiful evening." he continues.

"On second thought, may I also thank you for unwillingly taking part in a test today." an eruption of whispers occurs, as people attempt to figure out the test. The short man waited for the noise to halt, until he spoke again. "You have been lied to, by us. What you see around you tonight, is not what it seems." he smirks and with a wave of his hand the walls and floor fade away to reveal blank white walls. The crowd cheers and whistles at the spectacle, even I am moderately impressed.

"Welcome to the future. Technology that allows the change of the visual effects on surfaces, so that it may be blend in, or... stand out." he bows to an great ovation received from the rabid spectators. "With this technology, ordinary people's homes will look like palac-" his final statement was cut short by a massive explosion that rippled through the room. Sending me and everyone end spiralling to the ground.

Opening my eyes, I see a large chunk of the wall behind the mangled corpse of the talking man, ripped apart. Like something out of a hero movie, three men wielding automatic rifles step through the hole. "Consider this a hostage situation. We are apart of the Deathbringers and are here for your money and lot's of it." the lead thug with a bald head and a long scar running down his cheek booms out, obviously believing that everything was under his control. Smirking, he points directly at me. "Go tell the cops." he orders and I hastily obey, running out through the hole and around the building, until I come to the entrance.

"Alex!" I hear the familiar voice of Jake and I swiftly turn to see his head popping out from the side of a car. Rushing over to him, I frantically check for any signs of injury. "Dude i'm fine, don't worry about me." he promises. Then he pulls out a duffel bag from under the car and passes it to me. Unzipping the bag, I have no idea, if he is in his right mind.

"Are you kidding me!?" I mime to him and he grabs my tuxedo and pulls me towards him.

"Listen to me!." he commands. "I brought this, because this was obviously going to happen. Hundreds of people in one place, that's a hell of a ransom fee, man. Whilst we were on break today, I planted this behind the building." he explains as quickly as he can.

"I can't do this. The suit isn't done." I try to make up an excuse, as i'm not ready for this.

"Yes. You. Can. Now. Go." he spells it out, so it's clear as day. "I believe in you, buddy. Now believe in yourself." he nods for me to go, taking a deep breath, I head into the fray. _I am so going to die._

 **Day 0, as a Superhero**

Wearing my Mark I design I leap up a few stories of the building, before latching onto a pipe and climbing up, trying my best to avoid any windows that lie in my path. My initial thoughts are that the leather is far from comfortable to wear, but also allows for a longe range of movement, that I desperately need in my fighting style. In under a minute, I climbed to the second to last floor and after checking that the coast was clear, I slide through the only open window in the entire building.

Slowly crouching, I make my way to the stairs to see a thug coming up them. _Target Practice._ Once he entered the room next to the stairs, presumably to search it, I sneak up behind him and lock him in an unforgiving rear-naked choke. When he finally passed out, I let him fold to the ground and I use his belt to tie him to a workbench.

Turning around, I see the oddest reflection in the world. In the mirror was me, wearing a dark blue leather costume with bright purple streaks flowing along the body and down the legs. At my waist was a belt that includes my first and only gadget: a self-made smoke grenade. The only exposed points in my suit is from my right and left shoulders down to my wrists. Where I have gloves that I want to have an electric charge hidden inside sometime in the future, but that's hard considering it's leather. On my head I wear a mask than covers my mouth, until below the tip of my nose and a hood that covers my hair and most of my face. On the mask is dark red fire-like streaks that travel upwards.

In time I want a domino mask, although having none also sounds cool, if i'm going to hero, then I want people to know who I am. _What are you doing? There are hostages downstairs._ With unbelievable silence, I sprint out of the room and jump down a few flights of stairs at a time. Thanks to the strengthening of my bones, it's practically nothing to me.

Falling for the last time, I land silently on the first floor, I quickly check around me to ensure no-one is behind me. Hiding behind the corner of the door, I peep my head around and see four gunmen standing in front of a large crowd of hostages, seated on the floor. At the head of the group is Clark and Lois Lane, Clark was sat remarkably still, for a man under threat of dying.

Slithering like a snake, I keep to the shadows in the corners of the room and when they aren't looking I reach up and switch off the lights via a switch above me. "What the hell was that?" the lead thug growled, but he seemed less sure of himself than before. "All of you stay here, i'll go get the lights." Seizing my chance, I kneel run around the edges of the room, until I am directly behind the three thugs watching the hostages. Even if the switch is at the other end of the room, the boss was taking his time, going to the switch.

As I look to the hostages, I almost gasp in shock as Clark is looking straight at me. A sudden burst of light shakes my eyes and the boss strides up to the other three. "Must have been the fireworks." the boss laughs at his own joke, before facing his victims again.

"Can we get some water, please?" Clark asks the head gang member, who chuckles. Realising he is distracting them, I strike with the ferocity of a viper. As the bald bossy boots goes to hit Clark, I stroll up to the other two and smash their heads together. Before the third even registered this, I slammed my palm into his face, sending him halfway across the room. In shock, the final bad guy spins around and before he could fire, I rip his rifle out of his helpless hands.

He watches on in horror, as I effortlessly snap his rifle in two and drop the pieces, badass-like to the ground.

Pulling out his backup pistol, he fires a shot, which I anticipate and dodge from point-blank range. Grabbing his wrist with one hand, I squeeze down, easily fracturing the bone and to finish him off, I headbutt his bald head to the abyss.

The room was left in complete silence for a few moments, until cheers erupted. It was a feeling like no other. These people were cheering for... me. Diving straight into professional mode, Lois Lane jumps and relentlessly questions me.

"Who are you? What drove you to help us? Have you got super-strength?" she interrogates. All I could manage in the moment was,

"I'm going to stop at nothing to save this city!." I shout in my "I mean it" tone. She was about to ask another round of savage questioning, when I sprint out the room and don't stop running for any reason.

 _Watch out bad guys, i'm here to stay!._

 **A/N**

Now guys, I want your opinions on this so far and I want you to help this story get recognised, because if I can hit a huge amount of views, I will be heading into the trilogy I already have planned for this character.

Hope you enjoyed,

Favourite, Review, Share,


	3. Chapter 2: Never Alone

**A/N**

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this series. I really hope!. For this series I already have everything drafted out and I know where I am going with it, seriously, you really want to stick around until the end.

As always, if you liked this chapter a review and a favourite would make me happy!

If you do like it, then please share the story with friends and followers. 50 views already, which I think is awesome.. Would love to get more and only YOU can help.

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 **Day 1 - Outside a warehouse**

"I've never asked you why you want to be a hero." Jake pops out of the blue, that's the fourth question in the past five minutes.

"I want to give people hope again, it's so easy to do, but no one ever wants to take up the burden. That's leaving out that the world is going to hell. I just want to stop the suffering, and watch us all grow old and have happy, carefree lives. In the long term, I really want to join the Justice League. There is no greater achievement." I answer honestly as I can.

"Wow... that's deep. So, how did you get your powers? You neve really gave me all the details." he continues.

"Remind me why I let you tag along." I finally snap at his ceaseless probing.

"Because my young hero, you need moral support." he deadpans, it's truly surprising how serious his face is.

"Hah... moral support." I snicker at his ridiculous excuse.

"Yes, moral support. If you spend your nights beating on gangsters, how long will it take for you to become one?" he reasons with the utmost seriousness, I might add.

"Fair enough." I sigh, satisfied with my answer, he smiles.

We both continue observing the movement of shipping goods into the rundown warehouse. Funnily enough, we are on top of a building opposite the warehouse as we can't even afford a car.

Using my relatively keen eyesight, I pick out a few odd occurences. Firstly, one of the workers hauling in the crates has an automatic rifle slung over their shoulder. _Workers? Yeah right._ Another out of place evidence, is that the truck they are unloading from, has no license plate. _Definitely drugs or guns._

 _My money is on drugs._

Standing up, I check that my two grenades are placed securely on my belt and I pull my face mask up, and the hood down.

"Where are we going in?" Jake questions from behind me, judging from where the sound came from, i'm guessing he has also stood up.

"WE are going nowhere." I snarl at his suggestion.

I have no doubt he will try and follow me anyway.

"I!. I, am going to stop the illegal drug trade that is going on in that warehouse." I emphasise the me part. When Jake opens his mouth to protest, I put a finger to my lips to silence him. Staring him down as I walk backwards to the ledge, I flash a quick smile and turn around.

I jump down the building, rolling on impact with the ground to avoid any potential damage.

Sneaking around the left hand side of the building, I take care to stay in the welcoming shadows. Slowly and painstakingly ripping off a wooden section of one of the warehouse's walls, I check behind me every few creaks, paranoia about being discovered is at the peak of my no-no list.

However, I couldn't help it.

Finally ripping off the wall, I crouch and carefully tiptoe into the light filled warehouse. In the middle of the facility, five heavily muscled men were moving the crates from the truck and piling them on the cold floor. _Jeez, they guys make Bane look like Plastic_ Man. Darting behind a group of crates to the right of the five criminals, I pull out one grenade, and take a rapid succession of deep breaths.

"Catch this, guys." I joke, as I lob the grenade into the cluster of thugs.

It takes a moment filled with utter shock at their end, before it explodes and harmless gas envelops them, clouding their vision. Silently sprinting to the group, I jump and punch one of the thugs, sending him sprawling onto the solid floor.

To my surprise the smoke cloud fades away, leaving me with four angry guys.

 _I'll need to fix that later._

"Can't we just talk about this?" I jokingly implore, before one of my opponents' charges straight towards me.

Bring up my knee, I smash it into his chin and take his moment of numbing pain, to smack my right forearm into his chest and use my left to crack into the bridge of his nose. The sheer speed and power of my blows, sends him catapulting into the man behind him unconscious. Whilst that criminal takes his time pushing his fallen comrade off him, I take a large step forward against the remaining two.

A smart move by them, they simultaneously attack at the same time.

One aims a kick to break my shin, whereas the other swings his right fist for my face. Grabbing the guys fist, I swap places with him, so his ally hits his knee instead. The gangster falls to the ground clutching his knee and yelping in agony. Seeing his last friend defeated, this bald thug pulls out a flip-knife and attempts to thrust it into my stomach.

Only barely pushing his blade to the right with the bottom of my left foot, I curve backwards to avoid the next slash he retaliated with. Spinning on my heels in a pivot, I catch his arm and use my hips to throw him over me, still holding his arm, I easily twist and fracture the arm.

Leaving him writhing in pain, I walk up to the man still heaving at the body trapping him. Quicker than I could anticipate, he brings up a handgun and aims it for my head. Rolling to my left, the bullet misses, but a follow up shot grazes my right shoulder.

 _Forgot how much that hurts._

Wincing from the pain, I literally shrug it off and advance on the shooter.

Bemused to how I dodged his bullets, he freezes and I seize the opportunity to kick the gun out of his hand.

"What's the matter? Don't feel like a tough guy without your gun?" I snark as the criminal raises his hands in surrender. "Let me guess... Deathbringers, huh?" I assume.

"You got that right, you better hope the boss doesn't find you." he responds, being rewarded by a roundhouse to the head.

Heading to the crates, I rip off the lids to reveal a multitude of weapons, ranging from rifles to grenade launchers. "Damn, I wanted it to be drugs. It's way cooler to catch drug dealers." I mutter to myself, as I file through the impressive array of weaponry.

"Wooooohhh!." A yell emergences from the main entrance to the warehouse, Jake enters with what looks like a mobilephone. _He's putting this online, isn't he?._ Avoiding giving Jake what he wants, I sprint out of the warehouse and climb back up the rooftop from earlier.

 _Justice League, here I come._

 **Day 2 - The Planetside bar**

Spending my hard earned rest in the bar without Jake, I order my second shot of whiskey from the bartender and relax in my stool. "Footage has now been leaked from yesterday night, as the masked avenger that saved dozens of people strikes again. As seen on this footage, our local defender takes on several gang members and emerges victorious." the news anchor introduces over a video of me taking out the guys from last night.

My hand instinctively reaches for my shoulder, but finds nothing as the wound has already healed. "Right now, we are passing over to Commissioner Felix, of the DCPD." the anchor finishes, as a picture of a middle aged man with a brown yardbrush moustache and a close shaven head of hair appears.

"Thank you. First of all, I would like to tell this VIGILANTE to stop. This is not Gotham, this is not Metropolis, this is Delta City and it doesn't need a hero." he verbally spits at the camera. "Secondly, I would like to say that the men he fought are being released, as no evidence ties them to the scene. We have no idea if these men that were assualted, were actually at the warehouse with the confiscated narcotics." the Commissioner briefs matter of factly.

 _Evidence? There was a video, you fools... This city is so corrupt._

"Thank you for having me, but always remember that the DCPD is here to help you "advance and prosper"." he rounds off his tirade with a smile I can only presume to be fake.

I didn't pay attention to what the anchor said next, as the bar was in an uproar. People were screaming "Corrupt!" and "Greedy!" at the TV, followed by chants of "Hero! Hero! Hero!".

Even though this is an odd way to show faith in me, my spirit is boosted at seeing ordinary people back me up.

 **Day 2 - Alleyway patrol**

Sauntering down the alley, I muse about the events of today. One thing is certain: the police are corrupt. Another is that no matter how many bad guys I take down, I need the police to detain them. My precious train of thought was shattered by the unneccssary shouting of around three lowlifes, bouncing around the corner with purses in their hands.

 _Bad luck to them._

Standing ready to put down the rebels, I crack my knuckles with the intention to intimidate.

"You really shouldn't have stolen them. What if it was yours and it was stolen? How would you feel?" I patronise, with a tone adults reserve for dealing with children.

"It's that guy that whacked Freddy and Ritz's group." one of the henchman points out, his voice wavering slightly.

"Well done. Brownie points to you." I state, casually striding on a collision course with the thieves. Watching me move forward, they tense and drop the bags, one of them even pulling out brass knuckles. "How 20's. I kinda like it." I comment on the unveiling of the new threat.

Before I reached the group, a blast of what looks like water crashes into the lead gangster, soaring him into the wall. The remaining two, spin around in surprise and another blast jets into one of them, hitting him square in the chest.

Without any more hesitation, I jump a few metres, until I am directly at the side of the last whimpering thug and I violently throw him into the wall, made easy by my miracle strength.

Out of the blue, a slender figure flops down from the top of the building to my right and it steps out into the bright lights coming from the neon sign on the wall. "You shouldn't have taken so long." the figure I now recognised, as an estimated 30 year old female announces.

She wears a skin tight costume that looks remarkably similar to a wetsuit, but is a bright, blue colour and includes a large collar that stands up to cover her neck. Her body is slender, with a few curves, however, I could tell that she does workout and more than likely stronger than she looks. For her feet, she wears solid boots that match the colour of her suit and her face is encased in some sort of water mask.

"Just putting their guard down." I go on the defensive, I don't feel the need to answer to critisisms from a woman I only just met.

"I'm sure your strength would have also done that." she sarcastically replies.

We are smothered by an awkward and time-wasting silence.

"You are the hero from the news, right? Tidy work." she compliments, pulling back her hair and tying it into a ponytail.

"Who are you again?" I question, not being familiar with any hero being in Delta City before me.

"Waterfall, just thought i'd help out here. My city is already protected enough. "

 _Waterfall, Waterfall?_. My mind searches for where I know that name, it takes me a few moments, but I finally remember.

Waterfall was a hero rejected three times from joining the Justice League, she went off radar two years ago, and was never heard from again. "Might I ask who you are?" she inquires.

"Uhhh... uhhhh... uhhhh." I stumble, trying to come up with a name that at least sounds slightly heroic.

"It's not that hard. Just tell me." Waterfall interjects.

"Black Titan." I blurt out, I am shocked that it actually sounds pretty cool for something that I came up with.

"Nice. I guess i'll see you around... Titan." Waterfall winks and surfs off on a wave of floating water.

 _Life is good._

* * *

 **A/N**

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry if you didn't.


	4. Chapter 3: Holding back

**A/N**

Hey guys! What's up?

You know what, i'm sad and I feel lonely.

Ah well... the show must go on.

* * *

 **Chapter 3) Holding back the tears...**

 **Day 6- Rooftop**

It has been a few days since my first encounter with another hero, like me. However, I still feel like this city needs a lot more than two heroes, we can barely manage the crime. So, me and Waterfall decided to have these daily meetings, and figure out how to control this mess. "I could take the southern district tonight, and you can cover the suburbs, but still responding to emergencies in the commercial district." Waterfall suggests, pacing in short and brisk steps.

"That would leave downtown open and we can't ignore that area." I comment, and take my own fair-share of anxious pacing. This is a simple dillemma, but... an unavoidable one. For such a large city, it's hard to patrol every square inch.

"We both know that the police won't help us, so we have to rely on ourselves for now. My contact in the DCPD is still trying to climb up the promotion ladder- A hard task if you're clean." she adds to the mix.

Still, this new information doesn't help us any more.

"Maybe your ally needs a helping hand." I mutter under my breath. Figuring the spy will be blocked at every turn, we should find a way to give the informant an extra push. "We could find a way to pin some charges against the commisioner. A guy like him must have some delicious secrets." I propose, but she immediately rejects it with a wave of her slender hand.

"Yeah... and get us arrested in the process. No, we need to purify the station, not destroy it." Waterfall remarks.

I suppose she does have a great point.

Whether we like or not, this city needs a fully functional police department. Switching on our police radio, I sit on the edge of the roof, leaving her to mull over a plan.

Thinking about it, being a hero is not all I thought it would be. At first it was great, then I realised that I've got a hell of a responsibility on my shoulders. I never dreamed that my decisions could shape the future of this city. If I make the wrong choice, the people will suffer as a consequence.

 _What would a League member do?_

They would do what's right, I assure myself, and stand up from the ledge.

"This city needs us, no doubt about that." I point out to her, and she gives me a warm what she is smiling about, I could feel my face contorting in confusion, and a slight bout of embarrassment.

"You said US." she teases. If she could see my cheeks, they would be a bright crimson, right now.

"What? Do you really think I can do this on my own?" I question, expected her to shoot me down or just ignore it, like all the questions I asked about her past.

"Yeah... yeah, I think you could." she answers, not that I'm psychic or anything, but I believe she is telling the truth. Does she really believe in me? Or, is she just lying to not put me down harshly. Guess I will never find out, knowing her fondness for secrets.

"Dispatch, we have an armed robbery in progress, involved some sort of meta-human, all units available please respond. Incident in progress at Delta City Bank." a male voice clicks through the radio. Sharing a determined look with Waterfall, I jump onto the wave she conjures. You picked the wrong city to mess with, pal.

 **Day 6- Bank Robbery**

Using Waterfall's manipulated water, we were able to surf to the bank; within a respectable five minutes.

Approaching the under-seige bank, I drop down from the wave, and pull my hood down; and face mask up. Ignoring a few of the surrounding police drawing guns on me, I head in through the front door, whilst my newly-found friend, attacks from above. The scene before me is the most stereotypical bank robbery, someone can witness.

That's the full truth.

Civilians are on the floor, and are being guarded closely by two armed robbers, who are oblivious to me standing by one of the large marble pillars, that encompass the room.

Sauntering around the vault is around three men, trying and failing to open the massive metal door to the vault.

Shaking my head incredulously, I crouch and slowly creep behind the first of the two guards, watching the huddled group of scared civilians.

Without hesitation, I place a foot on the back of the man's knee and push, collapsing his knee, and makin him fall into my low grasp. Holding my left hand over his mouth to prevent alarm, I wrap my right bicep around his carotid arteries, and tightly sqeeze; as unrelenting as a cobra, but silent as a stalking lion.

 _It would be too easy for me to (literally) snap this guy in half right now._

Luckily for him, I only kill whenever I have no other choice.

After a short while of hopeless struggling from the criminal, he passes out, and I carefully lay him on the cold, hard ground. The civilians are in a deathly silence, as they observe me take down their captor.

Watching the other guard pace around the other side of the group, I sneak up to the unsuspecting thug.

Noticing the lack of chatter, he attempts to turn around. In a split second decision, I jump on him and take him to the ground with a head scissor. Still grasping his head with my legs, I punch him straight in the face; knocking him out cold. I shoo away the hostages with a motioning gesture, and I take some time to scan the roof for movement.

Sure enough, I spot Waterfall waving at me from the glass overlook above me- in a great position to support me.

 _She had better back me up_.

Steeling myself, I give one last confirming smile and I charge straight for them. The criminals jump back in shock, but soon raise their rifles and prepare to shoot. According to the plan, a gust of water smacks into all of their guns, and sends them clattering to the floor. Before they could pick up the lethal weapons and shoot, I tackle the nearest guard and quickly get back up.

One of the guards swings for me with a left hook, and I grab it with my right and using my super strength, I chokeslam him with my left hand; his soft head colliding with the floor. Pulling out a baseball, another one recklessly leaps in. Not anticipated the strike, the blow hits and shock fills my attacker, as he watches it snap on contact with my head. Now using the snapped half as a weapon, he swings from overhead.

Darting to the right and simultaneously hitting another thug in the face with the tip of my right elbow, I kick the inside of his right thigh, dropping him to one knee and I knock him out with a spartan kick to the face.

Turning around, I am surprised to see Waterfall standing over the guard, victoriously. I flash her a raised eyebrow. "I can get my hands dirty, ya know?" she rolls her eyes. "Something about this is off. These robbers had no idea what they were doing." she continues, eyes flitting about for any sign of movement.

"Are you sure?" I ask. "They were inexperienced, but even the best were at some point." I explain my point. Suddenly, our conversation is shattered by a blast of fire flying towards us.

Relying purely on instincts and reflexes, I roll out of the way and the blash hits the vault door.

"You should really listen to her, she knows what she's on about." a deep and flat voice peeks out of the background, and a hooded figure steps out into view. His entire body is on fire and his clothes are weirdly not burning at all. Chuckling sinisterly, he stops moving and tenses up, his hands hanging by his waist.

"You!" Waterfall yells, her voice slightly cracking. For some odd reason, I already have a feeling this is going to end badly; it always does in movies, especially when a sinister man on... fire, has entered the fray- a now superpowered fray.

"You miss me?... Ever since the league rejected you, you haven't been responding to my letters." he laughs in the same dark tone as when he chuckled. This instantly sends a cold chill up my spine

"Maybe, that's because I don't talk to psychopaths, Firewall!." she retorts.

"Oh come on, sis, you know I've got problems." he counters, taking me aback slightly.

Sis? You have got to be kidding me.

Determined to get some answers after I put him down, I take a few steps forward, and mentally curse as Waterfall shakes her head. My lack of attention costs me severely, because he turns at a pace unlike any other I have encountered before, and slams a fireball into my chest. Immediately, my leather suit goes up in flames and I struggle to put out the fire, whacking it with my hands furiously.

It was then I first felt the unbearable pain, as it reached my bare skin.

 _What the hell! It won't go out!_.

Time it's seemed to slow down as my vision began to rapidly fade. My last remnant of consciousness, allowed me to hear those final words.

"See you around. Tell your friend that I wouldn't do that again, if I was him." Firewall snorts.

If I survive this, I'm going to make him wish that he was never born.

 **Day 7-Jake and Alex's shared apartment**

Trepidly, I sit up and examine my damaged body, my sore chest is only matched by my throbbing pride, but the rest is fine. Looking down, I see some sections of still charred flesh, some red skin where the old has been replaced. Shouting can be heard outside, and I am too disoriented to make out the words involved.

After a few precarious minutes of heated argument, a door slams, and my own door opens. Jake steps in, needless to say... he looks furious. "How long?" Jake begins, taking me off guard. "How long have you been talking to this... "hero", huh?" he elaborates, I could see that he is struggling to keep calm.

"A few days." I only just form the words, fully ashamed I never got round to telling my best friend. "It's not a big deal." I mutter, instantly regretting my words.

"Not a big deal!" he barks. "How is THIRD DEGREE burns! Not. A. Big. Deal!?" he yells, punching a wall in the process. Wincing at the impact, his anger overcomes his in-built trigger for pain.

"This wasn't her fault! I was the one not paying attention!." I push back.

"Ohh! Okay! So it wasn't her fault she does use her WATER POWERS to put you out, until you nearly die!?" he responds.

"This is MY responsibility, not yours!"

"It is my responsibility when my best friend, doesn't trust me enough to tell me about this! You have been out for a full day!" he growls.

Realising that I was trying to defend a person I have known for a short while, I quiet down.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper.

"Come find me when you will trust me." he advises, taking laboured steps towards the door. Stopping with his hand on the handle, he whispers over his shoulder "Stay safe." before exiting the tense room and leaving me to my despair.

What have I done? Is this what every hero goes through? Will he come back?.

These endless questions circle my thoughts like vultures, stealing any last scraps of happy memories away. For the next few hours, I stop and cry.

I'm not cut out for this.

 **Next time...**

Once upon a time, I swore that I would cure this city.

Back then, I had no idea that I would lose more, than I gained.

Back then, I didn't believe I could do this on my own.

Back then, I had doubts.

One month... can change everything.

 **A/N**

Heeeey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, if you liked it, leave a review and a favourite.


	5. Chapter 4: People Should

**A/N**

 **New chapter here for you, things have changed slightly as it has been a month since the last chapter.**

 **We will start seeing a new side of Alex and his quest for justice.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4) People should know...**

 **Day 35- Alleyway**

Doing my usual night rounds, I once again spend all my thoughts on where it all went wrong. Not trusting a friend, that's a check. Not trusting myself, still a check. Last, but not least, trusting Waterfall.

 _I've been through this I million times. I am alone now, but I am stronger than ever. Crime is finally falling and my name is getting out there._

Flexing my arms, I count how many criminals I have caught over the past month.

Too many- it needs to change.

Now that Jake has left, I have no-one to hold me back. For once, I actually have a sense of direction and clarity, which I had no idea, I possessed.

I need to fight crime, wherever it may be.

Considering I have quit my job, I don't really care. I moved out and into an apartment of my own; it's cheap, but I don't spend much time there anyway. Being a hero, you don't get much "me" time and luckily for me, I don't mind.

Checking out my new addition to the arsenal, I look over grappling hook attached to my right gauntlet. It does the job and I found out, that it's pretty good for disarming criminals. I tried it once on a dummy target, although, I have never attempted it on a real person. So yeah, I have no idea if that would work; I could really use something to test it on.

Right on cue, a police car rolls by with sirens blazing. Kicking into first gear, I try my best to chase down the speeding emergency vehicle.

Following the car to it's destination, I arrive to a classic shootout- police exchanging fire with the dastardly robbers. Jumping into action, I rip off a car door, and charge the criminals position.

Smashing the door into one man, sending him onto another cars hood, I turn around and face another gunman; now training his weapon on me. My reflexes kick in, and I roll to the right,dodging two shots; before he could move his weapon, I trap his arm in the doors window.

Letting the door go and seizing the weapon, I unload the clip and whack the guy over the head with his own weapon.

Whistling my approval, I look around.

Mopping up the rest were a few DCPD officers, not much else- apart from a news crew. Rushing over to me, is a newswoman and her crew of thirsty cameras

 _Oh boy._

 _Well, at least I can get some media exposure._

As she approaches, I notice how good looking she is, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her hair is long, falling down the front of her shoulders.

Crossing my arms to seem more imposing, I eagerly await the crew.

Before I could ask a question of my own, the female immediately jumps into the questions, seemingly exited at her news haul. "How did you get here?" she questions, keeping her eyes trained on mine. Luckily, I had my mask up, and hood down, covering my face.

"I ran." I state, keeping the words to a minimum. It seems to work for Batman, so why can't it work for a rookie like me?

"So, you have super-speed like the Flash?" she assumes, annoyingly so. Why does everyone assume I have "powers", I mean come on, ever heard of peak human abilities?

"No. I can't run that fast. Only faster than cars." I explain, making my voice deeper for more effect. It was then I realised how casual that sounded- " _only_ faster than cars" - I must have sounded like a complete ass. Well, more than usual.

"Why help?" she interrogates, in what seems to be a personal question, rather than a professional one. It's very odd how she flirts through subjects like that, maybe wanting to catch me off guard- not a chance, lady.

"I can deal with situations that the police cannot. Today, one of these officers could have died and I won't let that happen." I respond, walking away from the reporter. Thinking that it would seem better for my image if the reporter chases after me, I don't turn back, but only keep my heightened hearing open.

The beautiful reporter rushes after me, however, she surprisingly leaves her crew behind.

Straightening her blonde hair, she smiles at me. "I know that you are more than likely busy, but I would really like for you to have a real interview with me." she asks, hope sparkling in her eyes, glistening like the vast expanses of the ocean.

"I have better things to do." I reject, preparing my grappling hook for a quick getaway.

"I know." she answers, and then hunches over, wanting to whisper to me. "I want to help. I know this city and how corrupt it is... and I want that to stop." she whispers, almost pleading me to accept. Nodding in acceptance, I fire the grapple at a nearby building, and reel myself in.

 _I suppose it would put me out there even more. Fingers crossed, the Justice League will hear it._

"Come to my office tomorrow at 3:00PM!, I will make sure that no-one is there, apart from you and me... of course!." she shouts up at me. She's persistent, I will give her that. Reaching the building, I climb up the ledge and run from rooftop, to rooftop; all the way home.

 **Day 36- Rooftop of the office building, in Alpha District**

Standing on the designated rooftop, I wait for exactly 2:55 PM, before moving into the building via the fire escape. Doing this, just in case it was a trap. Who knows, the police seem to be really quiet about my activities lately. As I stride down the corridor, I scan every room for any potential escapes, or diversions.

True to her word, the building is thoroughly abandoned.

Out of the blue, the reporter from last night pops out at the end of the corridor, beckoning me to follow her. Sighing, I follow carefully, still searching for threats.

Catching up to her, she is walking towards an office room with "Delta City blog" at the top and "Rebecca Wilson" directly beneath it. Opening the room and waiting for me, she has that same beaming smile on her face, as last night.

Going in and floppimh down onto a chair placed in the corner of the room, I examine the office. It has several amount of paper thrown onto the ground, all around the bin, and empty cans of energy drinks, discarded lazily on the desk.

Stroking her silky blonde hair, she sits on a chair opposite me and goes to press a button on a camera facing me. "I just want to say thanks for this. I just want you to know that a LOT of people respect what you are doing out there- including me." she smiles, and presses the button.

A red light appears to the left of the lens, signalling the recording has started.

Folding her legs and taking a deep breath, she commences her questioning. "Many people have dreams of being a hero, but very few actually do it. What inspired you to fight crime, like the members of the Justice League." she begins, taking down notes before I even opened my mouth.

"Once I got my powers, I realised that I could do things, others can't. Then, one day, a good friend told me that... good things only come when people are ready to fight for it." I respond, keeping my depth of voice down again. My heart twinges slightly at the mention of Jake, however I persevere.

"Do you have aspirations of joining the League." she continues, calmy, but with an edge of excitement.

Resisting the urge to laugh in her face, I answer truthfully. "The league is something you can't get into, it's something you earn and yes... I will do everything to get into the league. But, not at the expense of this city." I answer, believing every last word.

"Do you really want to help?" she interrogates, a personal question seeping into a professional... again; she really needs to stop that.

"Yes, I do. Unlike others." I imply, directed at a particular majorly corrupt public department.

"By that, do you mean the police force?" she raises an eyebrow, not that the camera would catch that. She's also quiet smart apparently- smart enough to quickly decode my implication.

"To call it a police department, would be incorrect." I scoff, very unhero-like, I might add. "They are taking advantage of the people they swore to protect. Many of them are not worthy of the badge." I elaborate, feeling angrier by the moment.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asks, leaning forward.

"I am going to do everything I can to enforce justice on this cities criminals... all of them. Starting with the common criminals, that plague this city." I announce, staring directly into the camera.

"Any final words?" she concludes, laying her pen down on the notepad; I think she's itching to see what I have to say.

"One last thing. I can't do everything- you, the people- also have the responsibility to stand for what's right." I carry on, pulling my hood down further.

"I am Black Titan, and I will find you." I finish, with an cool touch. Rebecca seems to also think that, as wide grin forms across her features; distorting her dimples, and looking very Joker-esque. Rebecca then proceeds to lean over and switch off the camera. The red light fading away.

"Thanks. I hope to see you again." she holds out her hand.

"Maybe." I shake it and stroll to the door, stopping there. I call over my shoulder "Call me if you need help", before exiting through the door.

 _Nailed it!_

 _Soon enough, everyone will know my name._

Mentally fist bumping myself, I bounce down the hallway I entered from and get out through the hatch. Opening the hatch, I am shocked to see a DCPD detective stood waiting for me. Putting a hand on my smoke grenade, I look over the detective. He's young, quiet tall, but also muscular, the type a regular exerciser would have. Furthermore, he has dirty brown hair and green eyes, emphasising his round face.

Seeing me grab my grenade, he puts his hands up in surrender. "Sorry to surprise you." he hastily apologises, smirking, but not in a sinister way.

"It's okay." I answer, maintaining my stare. Watching for any sign of hostility, I edge forwards.

"Do you really think I could take you anyway? I saw your video." he chuckles, holding up his phone and putting it on the ground.

"What do you want?" I growl menacingly

"To talk, believe it or not." he answersk the smirk slithers off his face. Perhaps realsing that I don't trust him, he copies my movements, taking steps back.

"Go on, then." I beckon him to follow me into the open space in front of the hatch. Making it easier for me to escape, if the need arises.

"Look, I know you might not trust me, but I want to help." he speaks up, keeping his hands in the air.

"A lot of people want to help, all of a sudden." I bark.

Realising I am coming off in a bad way, I decide to lighten up a little.

"Do you not know?" he gasps incredulously. "You inspire people, unlike any fellow officer I've met. Listen, I hate my department- they all are on the Deathbringers payroll- unlike the only honest cop in Delta city." he carries on.

"Waterfall." I blurt out, seeking a specific response.

"What?" he chokes, seemingly startled by my sudden change of subject.

"Do you know her?" I question, thinking that this must be her informant on the inside.

"Yeah, I talk to her, every so often." he replies and I loosen up, motioning for him to drop his hands. Relieved and letting out a "Wooh", he puts his hands down.

"Black Titan." I announce, holding my hand out for him to shake.

"Detective Ryan." he shakes my hand, instantly. "Hard grip." he jokes and I let go.

"She tell you about me?" I raise an eyebrow, but he doesn't see it as my hood hides it.

"A lot, actually. However, it was Rebecca that told me you would be here. I've been feeding her information to put on her blog." he explains, hesitantly.

"Good man." I comment.

"Thanks, it's the least I could do." he grins cheerily. "Right now, I'm here for you... we have a... problem. I have intel that the local triad is smuggling drugs into the city, from a local Chinese restaurant. Although, the DCPD won't give me a warran,... but... you don't need one." he informd expectantly waiting for me to cut him off like they do in movies.

 _A chance to stop the triad- count me in._

"I'm in." I crack my knuckles for extra effect, having the desired consequence on the Detective..

"Of we go." he flinches at my actions, however, quickly smiles again.

"You drive."

"Why?"

"I prefer to run, get exercise, you know." I casually counter like it's nothing; by all acounts, it is.

"Run!? How are you going to keep up?"

"Let me worry about that."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you liked this chapter, do you think he has changed since Jake left?**

 **Talk to me in the reviews; I always like a new chat, every once in a while.**

 **A quick shout out to TheMcCOY- thanks for the kind review.**


	6. Chapter 5: Bull in a China

**A/N**

 **Hello people! How are you?**

 **Thanks for the support so far, it's really is amazing.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5) Bull in a China Shop...**

 **Day 36- Outside Chinese Gift Shop**

Standing comfortably outside the shop, with the detective, we observe the constant movement of employees. They swift and swerve around the outside of the shop like cars, highlighted by the gleaming moon.

"How should we do this?" the detective at my side chirps, regret clear on his voice.

"Second thoughts?" I raise an eyebrow to him, not like he could see, or anything.

"Definitely." he honestly answers, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. "Is it always like this? The anticipation, building up, until you can't breath." he continues, once more taking a few deep and slow, gulps of soothing air.

"You get used to it." I reply, noticing the workers go into the shop, closing the door suspiciously.

 _Great way to not seem like a criminal, douche._

Shaking my head and sighing to myself, I look to my companion. "Shall we?" I smirk mischaevously.

"What do you mean? We can't just waltz in." he argues, justly.

"Who said anything about waltzing in?" I continue my smirking. "I think we should introduce ourselves... formally." I state, darkly.

"I think it's best, if you do that." he smiles, apparently amused by my sense of right and wrong. It's not everyday that you find officers, or detectives tjat are willing to break the law in the name of justice, and not work ethics.

"Be back, soon." I inform, daintily.

Casually running across the road, I crouch down to my knees and shimmy along the side of the building, until I come up to the side door. How am I going to do this?. I have proposal A) Take my time and pick them off one by one. Option B) Throw in a smoke and waste them, before they have any idea, what has happened. Finally, C) Pull a Superman and just walk in there, just give them a warning and then, beat the hell out of them.

Patting my waist, despair strikes, as no more grenades are found.

 _Damn, I forgot I have no more money to pay for my gear. I think, I need my job back._

That leaves A, or C. It seems more... memorable, if I do C, so let's do that, shall we. Cracking my knuckles, I grab the door handle and break it straight off. Heroically, I stroll through the door and take note of the shocked expressions on the seven men's faces.

"Hello there." I cheerily wave, confusing them even more. Lying innocently on the table, is three bricks of some sort of drug. "Looks like you boys have been caught red-handed." I joke, stepping menacingly towards the triad members.

"You are making a big mistake." a burly, and bare chested Chinese man squares up to me- outstripping me, by about two inches.

"No. You are." I counter and the man steps back a little.

"So you are this vigilante known as Black Titan?" another man questions. Out of the corner of my vision, I see him picking up a gun. A M9, in fact.

"Yeah... so... I would really like you to put your hands over your heads and surrender to me." I advise, calmly. Shifting into view, was the thug with the gun, preparing to attack. Striking before they could react, I grab a hold of the bare chested criminal by his arm and throw him into the man with the gun. As his muscular body slams into the triad member, the pistol clatters to the ground.

Feeling myself grabbed from behind, I send my head back and it collides with the bridge of a man's nose, sending him stumbling backwards. Quickly spinning around, I spartan kick him and he crumbles against the wall.

Turning around again, I get smacked in the face by a wooden plank, shaking me a little, but I am altogether unfazed. Meeting my attacker, I deliver two quick jabs to his abdomen and then left hook his face, sending him flying backwards to the ground.

A sharp pain, makes an emergence in my right kidney, before I could feel a blade being forced out. "agh." I let out a small cry and turn to the stabber, disabling him with a kick to the knee and throwing him onto the table, by his throat. Good job, I heal quickly.

Leaving two more thugs to go, one runs away, whilst the other recklessly charges towards me. He gets knocking out, by me flipping the table onto him. A few seconds later, the final gangster gets hauled in by cuffs, Detective Ryan trailing behind.

"Took you long enough." he jokes cheerily, forcing the cuffed man down onto his knees.

"Thanks for the compliment." I sarcastically retort.

"Who knew a hero would be that childish." he smirks. _He does have a point. So, stop being a douche, and be serious._

"Surprisingly, we only have three bricks. My guess is: they have their full stash in a warehouse, somewhere." I point out to the three bricks, strewn across the room from the fight, using my best serious voice.

"That's a cliché." he states, heartily.

"No joke, they actually use warehouses." I break the character I created in around thirty seconds.

"It seems we have a score." he chuckles, going to pick up a brick on the floor. Intercepting his hand, I smack it away. "Hey!" he reacts, tenderly rubbing his hand.

"Fingerprints. Unless you want the planting of evidence to be used against you in court- no touching." I casually advise, leaning against a wall next to one of my victims.

"I could really use equipment like yours, can I borrow some?" he jests, whilst looking over my costume. I don't know why, but it's kind of creepy how he is looking at my body like that, as though judging me for some odd reason.

"If you pay for it." I answer, he does make a suitable offer, he can have the thing for all I care. This suit is really expensive, it takes all of my money just to maintain it in a semi-decent standard.

"Really?" his interest is quirked by my response.

"I'm broke, so yeah, why not." I wink.

"I might actually have a solution for that." he saunters over to my position and hands me a business card. "Bill Jeffries, Chief Recruiting Officer." it reads and the top right corner is the logo of the famous company "StarrWare".

"They are looking for a head of security, if you want it." he continues, going back to his original position and kicking a slump body slightly.

"How do you know?" I question, intrigued to his connections.

"Bill is my brother-in-law." he informs through clenched teeth.

"Don't like him?"

"Nope." he mutters. "How am I going to report this?" he goes on, after a short silence.

"Figure it out." I laugh at the hapless enforcer of the law.

 **Day 37- Interview at StarrWare**

"Why are you applying for this position? Is it a personal ambition, or maybe it is a part of the course, through life." the annoying little cretin named Bill, starts off the interview. Forcing the best smile I can do, I keep up appearances with the most lies I have ever told in my entire life.

"I have always wanted to head a security department, it has always driven me onwards and really appeals to my style of life; organisation and determination, are in my opinion, vital to success." I lie, spewing out as much rubbish as I can imagine.

"Those are all qualities we aknowledge, here at StarrWare" he smiles with that fake corporate fashion, everybody has come to dispise. I should have went to Wayne Tech, or even LexCorp. My mouth starts to strain under the effort of smiling, but I hold in my urge to drop it.

"Now, did you know that this position carries with it a heavy responsibility?." he asks, I can't quite tell if it's rhetorical or not, so I answer it anyway.

"No need to worry, I am fully responsible and I am fully capable of overcoming any obstacle." I briefly assure, keeping my eyes directly in his, emphasising my confidence. And don't I know it.

"That's great." he compliments in a fake tone. "Onto the nitty-gritty, we are." he talks to himself, flipping the page swiftly in his notebook.

"Exercise?" he commences.

"Daily." I respond.

"Bench?"

"700lbs." I bluntly answer.

"700?" he chokes. "I didn't ask you to joke." he forces a chuckle.

"I'm not." he looks as if he was about to comment, when he notices my extremely serious expression.

"Bleep test?"

"Broke it, no results could describe me." I smirk for a second, but slap myself mentally and retain my composure. Should I be telling him this?. Rubbing my hands together in boredom, I wait for him to finish writing something down.

"Hobbies?" he sighs, no doubt sharing my boredom.

"Martial Arts, Languages, Anything to do with sport and... watching the news." I end on a ridiculously boring note of mine, to be fair, I only watch it to look out for interesting developments.

"As head of security, you may be asked to guard our CEO, Mrs. Starr. This requires you to be able to adapt to challenging situations. How would you fare?" he leans forward in his chair.

"Put me in any situation and I will excel, I ALWAYS get the job done." I return, a little bit too arrogantly, although I do need to seal this job.

"On behalf of StarrWare, I would be honoured to offer you this job." Bill gets up and extends his hand, after a minute, which seemed to me like eternity.

"I'm glad to accept." I lie, accepting his hand. _This is only temporary, I am NOT staying here._ "I will see you tommorow." I give a quick two-fingered salute and escape this madness.

 **To be Continued...**

The walls seemingly close in on me, the stifling air trapped in my lungs. I have come so far, but... is this the end? Is this how I die? Is this how the legacy of Black Titan ends?

 **A/N**

Hope you enjoyed this chapter folks, anybody know who Mrs. Starr is? Review!


	7. Chapter 6: Moan, Moan, Moan

**A/N**

 **Welcome to another chapter of this DC comics (First edition, named Titan Rises), and I hope you all enjoying this series, so far- all 200 views, 5 favourites, and 2 follows are greatly appreciated by me. I can't do any of this without the support of you guys, that is for sure.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the marvellous world of DC, only my original ideas, and characters. E.g. Waterfall, Delta City, and etc.**

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 **Chapter 6) Moan, Moan, and Moan...**

 **Day 38- StarrWare**

The walls seemingly close in on me, the stifling air trapped in my lungs. I have come so far, but... is this the end? Is this how I die? Is this how the legacy of Black Titan ends. Only time, and a severe case of alcohol poisoning will tell. Seriously, this stupid office is getting to my head, big time. Never have I wanted to rid myself of a job, so badly before, it's excruciatingly boring, and unpleasant. If it was up to me, I would give a medal to every living person who has done this energy consuming tediousness is killing me, slowly, and painfully.

However, this what I need to do, so, I had better get on with it; it being having my eyes glued to a tiny screen, observing for any suspicious movements. For the tenth time now, I have watched Jess, the financial co-ordinator, wrap her leg around the janitor. Hold up... it looks like that office lackey has attracted the attentions of Bill. Unluckily for her, Bill can be a little on the controlling side- both mentally, and physically.

"Hey, Boss." the not so bright individual under my command, Leo, calls out to me, with his usual level of confusion. _Poor soul._ Nodding to him, I do this to motion for him to carry on with one od his (many) requests. "Do you mind if I take a quick break? My stomach feels like it's gonna burst on me, or something." he requests, pleading me to let him go. Poor Leo isn't in the best shape a human can be in, but that's not for me to judge.

"Make it as quick as possible, we need to remain vigilant with the recent attacks on major businesses." I cordially accept, thinking it's better for me to be alone in this compact monitoring room. Without a word, Leo darts up, and bounds away with joy in his steps- taking a few steps in one leap. _That's one less annoying individual to worry about, plenty more to go around though._

"Mr. Corver, there is a man here in the waiting room that is acting suspiciously. How should we proceed?" another of my guards voices buzzes into my ear through the comm I have placed in my ear. Used as a constant reminder that I am on the job, always present; always active, and ready to react.

"One moment." I answer, starting to rapidly flick through the cameras until I reach the main lobby camera. Looking at the figures in the room, I watch out for the suspect. On cue, a man in the corner- dressed in a long coat, and hat- starts uncontrollably swaying. Using my keen eyesight, I notice the walking stick hiding behind the cloak, apparently the only thing keeping the person standing up. "I see- man in the corner- possibly an elderly, or impaired civilian. Keep your eye on him, but don't move unless you are absolutely sure, am I understood?" I order down the line, seeing the guards behind the desk relax at my words.

After that waste of my precious time, I lean back in my chair, so I can view all screens at the same time. Perhaps it wasn't the best decision to come here, but it doesn't have a certain appeal about it, namely... money. It pays well, which makes up for the monotonous nature of the job- watch screens, patrol, talk, and repeat. Although, it's a welcomed change of pace compared to being the cities resident hero.

My short lived serenity collapses when Leo trudges back in, crumbles lined on his company provided suit; to which I point out with a pointed finger. Blushing in embarrassment, he hastily shoves off the pieces from his attire, and onto the awaiting floor. "I'm back from my break, Boss." he states, flopping down onto his observation chair.

"You're back." I sarcastically retort, however, I doubt Leo will pick up on it, due to his position as least intelligent of the workforce. By lowest, that means below bottom, even to the point it can be described as an abyss. _Why am I being such an ass? Stop being so judgemental for a guy that dresses up at night, and ruthlessly combats crime._

"I'm going to go do my patrol rounds, buzz me if you see, or need anything; i'll be on call at all times." I professionally inform the guard, yet secretly want to scream it, just so I can make my first day on the job that much better. Sticking to what I consider the code of conduct, I hold back my boredom, and get up- back cracking from the lack of activity. "See you soon, Leo." I say goodbye, and notice him nodding respectfully to me.

Stepping out that dark hole for literally the first time in hours, I exhale and start by sauntering around the office block, taking care to avoid contact with the endless numbers of corporate employees; excluding my guys, of course, as that would be uncalled for. Ever so often, a few of the office jockeys make eye contact with me, but they soon end when I return it with an intimidating glare of my own. When I finish the painstakingly banal task of patrolling this level, I spin around and do the same thing again, mesmerised by the hive of activity before me. Whether it's filing, or statistics, each worker performs at an optimum performance, as though enjoying it. _Enjoying the huge bonu_ ses _they get, of that, I have zero doubts._

Practically flinging my body down the corridor, I coolly step into one of the many elevators that inhabit the building. There I patiently wait, humming to the barely audible music playing the elevator, almost drowned out by the sound of the metal deathtrap cascading down several floors. Furthermore, the endless standing up makes my back arch slightly from the straight posture, I have reserved especially for this crisp kind of employment.

Continuing my incessant grumbling, I huff and puff as the descending drags on, magnificently. _If this takes any longer, I might actually die of old age in here_ , I mentally complain- considering it's better to moan on the interior, instead of yelling the complex down, like I previously intended to do.

Shaken from my pointless musing by the elevator halting, I arch my back once again at a near perfect angle of one-hundred and eight degrees. God, I wish I joined as a technician instead; worse pay, but less of this nagging pain in my back. My nightmares come to reality as the infamous Mrs. Starr strolls into the cage with me. Suddeny, I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic... maybe, something to do with those _huge_ bre-

"How are you, Mr Corver? I hope you are having a lovely first day at StarrWare." she cuts off my thoughts with a polite question- seemingly genuine, compared to the majority of the other greetings I have graciously been gifted, today.

"Spectacular, Mrs Starr. So far, we have had no interruptions, or incidents. Although, that could change at any moment, so, I would advise that you are guarded by a constant security detail." I suggest professionally, wanting to give the most stellar impression as possible to my new employer.

"No need for formalities, just call me Karen." she counters, a slight tease on her tone. It's a safe bet that this is the most interesting business owner you will ever meet, aside from the classy Bruce Wayne; he outshines everyone else by a long shot. "As for the detail, thanks, but no thanks. Who needs bodyguards nowadays? When we have our saviour: Black Titan." he rejects my proposal bluntly, with a tone I can only describe as sassy. Then, the door slides open again, and Karen bounces out. Before she leaves to go about her business, she swiftly peeks at me, and... winks?

Shocked, I didn't notice the door smashing closed again, making a resonating bang that almost made me jump to the moon. _I need to put this down as A) Weirdest day ever, B) Most fascinating day ever, or C) The most befuddling day ever._ In my books, this has to go down as C, as the others don't take into account the blankness I feel right now. Was it a flirting wink? Or, a I know your secret wink? It has to be flirting as there is no humanly way that she could now.

Still flabbergasted, I trudge out of the confined piece of metal, and head begrudgingly to my last place of solitary refuge- my comfortable office. Carefully cracking open the door like I am going to rip it off, I gratefully invade the space designated solely to me. Afterwards, I unceremoniously slump into my four-legged companion, gratified at finally getting the chance to put my weary feet up, and chill.

"Boss?" the soft tone of Leo tentatively calls to me over the earpiece, coming into my ear with a crackle.

"Let me guess, Leo, you have either seen something that is almost certainly not suspicious, or you want to go, and have a quick break." I lose my temper and gasp, rubbing the bridge of my nose in frustration. Instantly, I regret my outburst, Leo doesn't deserve to be told off like that.

"It's not that Boss, it's the inventory. Some guy from one of the corporate areas, is saying that they have a piece of valuable material missing." Leo informs, apparently unfazed my rant. Good for him, I don't want him to feel down about my general attitude, developed over the past stressful month.

"Thanks Leo, I'll be on it straight away. Tell the guy that I will find the missing "piece of valuable material " for him." I respond back, flicking on my computer and logging in. _Go find this; do this, and that, while you're at it. Jeez, does this job get any more disturbing?_ I muse, incredulously. Now flicking through the company documents, I do pick up on some glaring oddities. First of all, several of our shipping containers have been directed to a... East side docks, over the last three consecutive months. That cannot be a coincidence.

Secondly, no one has reported these mistakes, until now; someone should have picked up on it... or did, and... buried it up.

It seems that we here at StarrWare, have a member of staff that has a fondness for covering up things. All things considered, it does not matter at this point in time- maybe, later on. However, it certainly is a cause for concern with our friendly neighborhood vigilante- perhaps someone could inform him about this unexpected turn of events. But, who?

 _What on earth am I doing? Stop talking about yourself like a ten year old_ fanboy. Snapping out of my deep trance, I close my eyes in complex thought, letting my mind drift off into my subconscious; allowing it to replace any non-ideal strategies with realistic scenarios.

With a plan this well structured- to the point of planting a mole in a mega-corp- it must have a mastermind behind it all, twisting and turning the clogs, with the utmost confidence in each precise manoeuvre. Of course, I am only speculating, it could be the complete the other hand, I have a fair probability of being absolutely correct, meaning that some sinister, and hidden force is behind all this.

And, it is up to me- Black Titan- to stop it.

No matter the cost, I will annihilate this sect once and for all; they have plagued this beautiful city for too long, smothering it's pleasant nature with grime, and vermin. Yet, it won't be easy, this type of purification never is. Even if it's hard I still have to try, otherwise, what is the point of it all. Did I become a hero, just to get recognition, and respect? No, I emerge as the next protector of this city, because it needed saving.

Blinking rapidly, the scenarios going into my head or far from ideal, even too dangerous for me to attempt. But, I have severe doubts that Batman would think that, he would do everything he can to overcome those odds. I wish I was Batman- stalwart, and unyielding.

Why I am still going on with my self? Well, the answer is that I have no clue if I really want to be a superhero anymore. It was all amazing when I fist started out, but after the things I have seen in my short tenure, I'm starting to regret my decision. However, regret cannot impede me now, as I _must_ get back those materials; whatever those thugs want it for, it can't be good, at all.

Slowly edging up, my body is still hesitant to get up, and fight, even with my brain itching to get those resources back. It must be physical fatigue- defending a city every night will have a toll on your physiology. The Mirakuru serum cannot stop what's natural to the human body, not even it can do something as a "miracle" as that.

Then, I did the impossible- forcing my body to stand, with assurity and confidence I felt I have in this moment. As the only hero for miles around, this falls to me, and me alone; Waterfall can disappear for all I care, the past month rest solely on her, and her flaming brother.

And now, it appears that a certain hooded saviour is on his way to a specific dock...

 **Day 38- East side Docks**

Leaning over the shipping container I am placed on, I watchfully preside over the humdrum of activity, down below- men lifting, men guarding, and one familiar villain conversing with a _massive_ man, who is three times the size of everyone else on the dock. Since he is doing nothing, but talking, I have to assume that this man is the leader of this band of ruffians.

Assuming that he is opposite to the stereotype, and remarkably intelligent, as it takes a load of smarts to get people as organised as this.

Maybe, it's about time that I formally introduce my lonely self to these elegant members of the Delta City society. Or maybe, I should wait, and see if anybody moves a muscle one of the two well-placed trucks circling the movement. As for the familiar guy, I recognise that stature from anywhere- the hoodie, singed jeans, and the flames flowing freely from his body- it's Firewall, that's a certainty. The only critical question is: What is a rogue like him doing here, with the other human?

Thinking that I have awaited any escape for too long, I creep forwards until I am at the edge of the roof, of the container.

Let's see if they are worth their salt, shall we?

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 **A/N**

 **How did you like this chapter? Not long to go now, before the end of this prologue story, so, you need to prepare for some real action, and drama.**


	8. Chapter 7: Taking a Dip

**A/N**

 **Hello again, my dainty friends. We have 350 views! for an original DC character, this is amazing for me. As for reviews:**

 **patattack: Lol, yeah, I know that, but others have no clue.**

 **Elvisfonz23: I like that you love Mrs. Starr, if you didn't know she is an actual DC character (Which I don't own)**

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 **Chapter 7: Taking a Dip...**

So, here is my dilemma- if I do charge down there, and break hell loose, then I risk being overwhelmed. But, what about if I wait for the criminals to separate? Even if I only catch one, hopefully I will obtain all the information I need... if not... that really sucks, yet is a risk I am willing to gamble with now. How else will I find out what the creeps are here for?

Then again, asking politely has never hurt anyone, and has a significantly lower amount of deaths caused by it. However, being polite has never been a strength of mine, hence the social awkwardness I experienced today. Damn, that really ticked me off to the max of human capabilities. _Focus man, please focus. You have your life, and potentially countless others on the line._ Breathing in huge amounts of oxygen in several gulps, I commence what I expect to be a long wait.

Sure enough, it takes another excruciatingly boring hour of observing, before a the commotion dies down with the slamming of car doors- the hulking man suddenly leaving Firewall to his own I am eager to get down there, a little nagging feeling is reminding me of our last encounter, ending with me on the floor knocked out.

On the other hand, I am definitely certain that he won't be so lucky this time around; his time to be beaten has been prophesised... by me.

And, I fully intend to prove that insurmountably accurate, no matter how long it takes- years, months- they are all the same to me, I have all the time in the world, but he... he does not.

Cracking my eager bones, I casually drop down on the floor, my feet making an audible noise. "Look what the hospital dropped in." Firewall immediately spins, and remarks at my emergence. "Out of all the heroes to turn up, you are the least expected." he adds on, mockingly. Resisting the urge to charge the flaming men, I scrunch my fists, and ready myself for the inevitable dodging.

"Out of all the villains to arrive, you are the biggest douche out of them all." I quickly return, insulting him by using the tone of voice he just used- mocking, and arrogant. "Sorry for the burn... oops... was that a pun?" I snort, causing him to viciously glare at me. From under his hood, I can see the burning in his eyes, a longing desire for something, but at the same time, an uncontrollable passion for that special something, or... someone.

"Come on now, Titan. Are you going to such lengths to insult me?" he responds in fake hurt, holding his heart dramatically. "Personally, I have no idea why you didn't retire after what I did to you. It was such a crushing victory, I barely noticed." he comments with the intention to provoke, nevertheless I don't rise up to the bait, and stand my ground.

"Enough idle talk- you either go down quietly, or I do this the loud, and painful way." I sternly challenge, giving him what I hope to be an ultimatum, but, he simply chortles it off.

"Seriously? Go down quietly? Man, you have been watching too many 80's cop shows lately. Besides, no-one ever agreed with that." he shoots down my offer, tearing it apart with his choice of words, making me feel like an idiot. Still, it's better to give him the choice; you never know when they might crumble under the advise.

"Have it your way, then." I reply through gritted teeth, before assaulting him head-on. Just as he launches a fireball at me, I strafe to the side, and narrowly avoid the seething blast. _That was too close for comfort, Alex._ I chastise myself for being so sluggish to react to a potentially lethal hit. Next, I refocus, and fling my body at him with my right foot first. For a man who should rely on his powers, he surprisingly picks my leg out of the air, and brings to down to the ground. Smacking my spine of the ground, I notice his grip has singed away the material at my right ankle, exposing flesh.

"This is my favourite suit!" I exclaim, and dart up, facing Firewall in a battle stance. _And my only suit._ Sighing, I swipe at him with a right hook, being trailed by a left uppercut. The fiery fiend pushes my hook away, but the follow up slams into his chin, making him stumble back. Wind splashes against my knuckles and forearm, as I assume the contact has burned away my armour. This is what a stupid guy like me gets for using leather.

Recovering from my momentarily stunning blow, he regains his composure, and lobs a ball at me from point blank. Using my enhanced reflexes, I curve away the blast, feeling it scrape across my face- leaving my left cheek stinging. "Feel the burn, Titan!" Firewall jests, and takes a moment in the fight to chuckles, somehow amused by all this.

"Don't you ever need a cooldown?" I return, whilst trying to come up with a way to beat the heat. Of course, I could always try the grappling hook, however I have a slight feeling it would also burn. So, I do the next best thing. "Follow me, I'm begging you." I hastily bow, and sprint towards the docks resident crane with the intention of going up- fire+ heavy wind from altitude= put out. Or, at least that's the only logical plan I have at the moment.

Scrambling towards the crane, I hear loud footsteps as he closely tails me, just as expected. Upon reaching the crane, I don't bother using the ladder, and clamber up the sides. My muscles ache as I reach halfway, but the noise below me is getting louder, so I push through the pain. _This had better work, because I'm not fighting this guy on the ground._ I motivate myself, and tackle the growing numbness in my biceps.

"You okay down there?" I taunt at Firewall between each climb. Yet, he takes a ridiculous amount of time before answering, maybe he isn't as conditioned as I am.

"Fine, and dandy." he grunts. Then, a loud creak pierced through my eardrums, disorienting me. Taking a chance and gazing down, I see the supports of the crane are melting away _,_ with the villain directing fireballs at them. _I thought the creep was behind me._ My aghastness is temporary as I come to terms with what he is doing- he is taking this down... with me in tow. Before I could slide down, the crane tilts and curves, meaning it's about to topple over.

Bracing for the bound to be deadly fall, I whisper a few thanks I have in my life. "This is it, huh- the end of me. Well, let's see, I'm thankful for everything to do with my tenure of a hero... and... I'm grateful for... Jake." I mutter, my last breathes are somber remembrances.

 _Never thought it would end like... this._

Soaring through the air, my attention is fixated with the rapidly approaching ground. Closing my eyes to make it better, I prepare for my death. All of a sudden, a huge gust of wind blows at me from underneath, slowing my descent. _Ok, this is weird._ Opening my eyes after what seemed like an eternity, I expect to be dead, but heaven looks so normal. In fact, it feels like the docks.

It _is_ the docks.

"How annoying. Why are you still alive?" Firewall emerges into my vision, pacing impatiently in my viewline.

"You should know me by now- I never die that easily." I sassily retort, whilst rubbing my shoulder of all its (many) pains. It seems falling from that height still causes a lot of agony.

"I guess you are right, however I may have underestimated you for the last time, Titan." Firewall counters, venom dripping from the way he spat it out, and disdain was also present in his tone. Maybe I shouldn't have said that, as he will come at me ten times more aggressively. Something that I can't overlook now, he will be determined to kill me.

"Now who is clichéd? "I sigh theatrically, taking up a martial stance, and readying to weave through fireball again. However, the fiend only extends his hands, forming whip-esque objects in both of his outstretched hands- both wreathed in flame. _This is going to be tough._ Crouching my knees, I bend my body at a ninety-degree angle, and bounce at the ruffian. Seeing my attack, he simply lashes at me with the whips, wrapping them around my neck. Hearing my skin terrifyingly hiss, I cry out in pain and tug at the whip, yanking its terrible grip off.

"Ouch, that must have hurt" Firewall sinisterly cackles, bringing his arm back for another swing. But, I anticipate it, and roll to my left, the lash falling uselessly on the floor to my right. "Would you stop moving?" he pleads, feebly observing me parry another of his weapons by sliding it away, at the expense of my left forearm.

"Not a chance." I shortly state, closing in the distance with him by sprinting in small bursts. Now getting close enough, I attempt to roundhouse him with my left leg. The kick connects with his temple, knocking his head sickeningly to the right. "Ouch, that must have hurt." I quote him, earing me a great roar as Firewall headbutts me back; my nose burns slighty at the impact, although it's not too much of a concern.

Recomposing, I unleash a flurry of punches, making them quick to avoid any further damage from his combusted flesh. Due to me being an expert in martial-arts, he cannot defend against my relentless reckoning. When he tries to fight back with a left jab, I push it to the side and reopen his face for an attack. By the time I had finished, he is swaying dangerously close to being knocked out- overtime, I could watch his movements become more panicked, and instinctual. In close quarters, instinct only gets you so far- the rest is skill.

In a last ditch opportunity, he finds a way to slam with palm into the side of my face, cooking away at my skin. Being taken aback, I stumble, and only just retain my focus when he launches fire at me. Ducking down to avoid it, I realise a way to end this colossal showcase now: throwing him in the river. _It could kill him, but... it's a risk I want to take._ Grabbing him by the legs, I lift him up in a double leg takedown and run with him to the bank.

"Time for a bath." I jest, and drop him unceremoniously into the deep blue of Delta City river. Rubbing my hands together, I celebrate my victory with a pat on the back. Crippling agony ripples through my body as the adrenaline wears off, dropping me to one knee. Yet, this is it, my first victory against an actual villain. Is this what it takes? Everything I have, and more?

Summoning the strength to get up, the only relief I have is the cold air pressing against the exposed parts of my skin. _How am I going to fix my suit?_ I groan, and peek over the dock, and down into the water- no body floats up, so, that's good, I suppose.

Whereas I should be over the fricking moon with this result, I'm still wary of the events. In key detail- who were they guys at the beginning? Why were they there? And most importantly, what were they doing?- all of these are unanswerable, right now. My life is a living mess, and even Jesus can't solve my leprosy- being an outsider. If everyone else is "normal" then, what am I? an alien, or just better than the rest?

And, I intend to find out the answer to that question.

Slowly trudging in no purposeful direction, I review my options. A) Go and find a way of repairing the suit, e.g. someone else. B) Give up all together. Or, C) Go talk to the only person who has the answer to everything... Jake. _Would he even bother to talk to me?_ The only way I will find out is to go, and see for myself.

Nevertheless, my every waking thought is bent on the outcome- beneficial, or not. If Jake does decide to help me, then who am I to reject it, but it doesn't take away the fact that he left... when I needed him the utterly most. _Stop beating yourself up, it never helps anything, only hinders._ Changing my course, I turn to face north-eat, in the general area of my previous place of residence.

Here I come...

 **To be continued...**

Knocking on the awaiting door, panic, and anxiety announces it's arrival. Normally, I never get this jittery, but this isn't a normal occasion- I am dressed in a half-destroyed suit, waiting to beg an old buddy for help. To my angst, the door stands defiant in my wake.

Creaking open, the wooden doorway opens to reveal who I have been waiting for.

"Hey man, long time no see."

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 **A/N**

 **Thanks for reading this guys! I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Just a quick note: You may have noticed that these chapters are usually 2-3000 words in length. But, I promise that once this sequal is done, the chapters will grow longer and there will be more.**


	9. Chapter 8: All for one

**A/N**

 **Hello friends, and non-friends, to the latest chapter of the first edition of the Corver Chronicles. Sorry for this, but updates will come slower as I have exams coming up (Help me) and I need to prepare. As for this, I have been trying to draw Alex, and I can't draw, so it's not going well. So, if any of you wants to draw him for me, then I would really appreciate it.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Elvisfonz23:** **You have once again melted my heart with your review, please understand that I really appreciate it.**

 **NickStriker:** **Thank you for the review, it was really awesome, and of course I would love a crossover between our characters. To anyone reading this, read his fiction when it comes out.**

 **And of course, cheers to Photon Stars for favouriting.**

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 **Chapter 8: All for one, and one for all.**

Knocking on the awaiting door- panic, and anxiety announces it's arrival. Normally, I never get this jittery, but this isn't a normal occasion. I am dressed in a half-destroyed suit, waiting to beg an old buddy for help. To my angst, the door stands defiant in my wake.

Creaking open, the wooden doorway opens to reveal who I have been waiting for. "Hey man, long time no see." he casually greets with a smile. _Okay... not the reaction I anticipated, but... that's great, right?_ "What can I do you?" he adds on, looking down at my predicament. "oh" he blurts out.

"Can I... come in?" I question cordially, praying that he won't downright reject me. To my surprise, he instantly nods, and eagerly beckons for me to encroach on his grounds. "Thanks." I give my appreciation, and dart into the room, expected there to be a time limit before the door closes forever.

Hastily flopping into a chair in the living room, I nervously tap my fingers on my knees in a rhythmic beat. "Let me guess- the Mark I is officcialy out of biz, and you don't know what to do next." Jake abruptly assumes my motives.

"Yeah, that's it." I gingerly affirm. Then, I take a deep gulf of the refreshingly cool air, and decide to lay it out bluntly for my old companion. "Have you got any ideas?" I interrogate, clearing my dry, and sore throat.

"Hmmm... in fact, I do. But... one question first: Where the _hell_ have you been for the past month?" Jake raises an eyebrow, as if I committed a horrific crime, and he is the interrogator about to uncover a startling piece of evidence. A moment of incredulity briefly follows. _Is he serious? Why am I in the wrong?_ Retaining my composure, I stare down the blonde with the utmost sincerity.

"I thought that you wouldn't want to see me again, you know," I pause to gather my thoughts, and carefully select my next, potentially catastrophic words. "after we had a... slight argument." I tentatively finish, believing that I may have caused either a furious flashback for Jake, or too much of a guilt-trip.

"Are you kidding me, man?" he cries out in laughter, taking me aback massively. _Wow, Jake is filled with unpredictableness today._ "I fricking forgave you an eternity ago, and I thought that you was the one that would kick me to next week, if you laid eyes on me again." he ends, chuckling endlessly at the bizarre situation.

"Really?" I lean back in the comfortable piece of furniture. "That's super awkward." I join him with my own hearty chortle. "But really, what is your plan? " I span him out of the state he has placed himself into, and attempt to shift him to a seriousness I have faith he can achieve.

"Firstly, we build a bad-ass suit (by ourselves, obvs) and after that, you can fight crime looking like a love child of Batman, and Mike Tyson." he beams amusingly. _So, not the most complex plan that man has ever figured out, and yet... it sounds_ _awesome._ "I know what you are thinking, Alex- that my plan is shoddy, and simple. However, simple _always_ works." he elaborates firmly. It's utterly shocking how well he can guess what I am musing about. I guess that he some sort of hidden talent. _Jake with powers? Are you kidding me?_

"Who did you quote that nonsense from?" I sigh in resignation.

"My mother, believe it, or not." he honestly answers, although I can't tell if he is joking, or actually telling the truth. "She died a few weeks later." his head hangs low, his face peering at his shoes.

"Wow, that's awful." I commend him with my sympathy, wondering how she died. Out of all the time I have had Jake as my BFF, he never mentions his parents. So, why now? It must be our reunification, because what else could force him like this?

"OMG, I'm kidding; I'm kidding." Jake suddenly pops his head back up, and snickers at the nihilism probably plastered all over my bruised, and battered face. "She's still alive, god bless her kind soul. " he explains with a last wheeze. "In prison, though." he grounds out reflectfully.

"Oh." I could only manage that reply, as my frustration levels are reaching critical- atomic level critical."Your such an... idiot, you make Bill look like the Pope." I insult, much to his disdain, and confusion. "Bill is one of my bosses." I clarify reluctantly. "He's just indescribable." I go on.

"You just described him." Jake calmly counters to my chagrin.

"Shut up, Jake." I snarl, making him grimace. "Or, you're next on my to beat down list." I menacingly threaten, although Jake reacts less to this than he did when I suddenly turned into my vigilante mode on him. _Harsh... yet necessary- the story of my life._

"You have one of those?" he skeptically whines. Considering that he is at least mildly intelligent, I am shocked to find that he is being relatively dumb, again. Fixing him with a curious stare, I give it a few moments of silence, pleading that he will come to his rapidly decreasing senses.

"It's a figure of speech, bro. I don't actually have one; that would be deeply sinister, and... disturbing." I assure, secretly face palming vigorously at the display being played out before me. _If I had the strength to do it, I would end up slapping the stupid out of him, but... I don't._ Shaking my head disbelievingly, I whisper a prayer to God, asking if the all-knowing creator can solve his personality.

"That makes your threat invalid." he mockingly remarks, pointing out that I just contradicted myself by clarifying to him.

"Moving on," I redirect the focus of the pointless conversation with a clap of my hands. "ever heard of StarrWare?" I huff. Thanks to the duel I had a short while earlier, it's safe to presume that I have larger priorities than talking to him about my current line of work, however it has to be done eventually, so why not now? What's the absolute worst that can happen?

"Yep, it is that huge company that ships goods all over right?" he confidently responds, making gestures in the air to symbolise transportation of cargo, via a plane soaring through the air.

"That's the one," I nod in response to his correct guess, or answer. "I am currently employed there, so how about we... borrow an engineer." I mischievously grin at the idea. Since it's not always that you can screw over your employers by taking one of their top employees from under their corporate noses. _Please go with it, as I want to see the look on the face of those slimy snakes, called office workers._

"One: Why do they have mechanics? and two: We can't just get some guy to make the Mark II, that would be insane." Jake gasps out in denial. Sure enough, it would be undeniably crazy to do such a thing, and yet, it's still a pretty awesome ambition.

"You're right, I suppose. Sooo, we should tell the person," I pause for extra emphasis, and effect. "my name, and who I am." I finish, innocently shrugging my shoulders at the aghast expression of my best friend. _I guess he doesn't like my idea. Go figures, huh._

"Are you crazy!? You can't tell everyone you see!" he burst out, also standing up, and strutting with his hands placed at his sides, diva-esque. In moments like these, I tend to ignore his stance, and attempt to stifle out the overwhelming sassiness emitting from his face. "Hello, Bill, I'm Alex, and oh, the Black Titan!" he yells sarcastically, whilst waving his arms around like a self-proclaimed lunatic.

"Fine, but how many other ways are there to solve this very specific problem?" I blow the hair that has landed perfectly onto my forehead, a few strands laying on my right eyebrow, comfortably. There are actually quite a substantial amount of plans I can come up with, although many of them won't be as dastardly fun. Still, my tenure as Black Titan shouldn't be heavily reliant on fun, otherwise I will slowly transform into the Joker, or something like that.

"All it takes, is a lot of creativity." Jake calmly sneers, investigating the blank canvas I have sculpted my face into. If Jake wants to execute a plan with creativity, then I don't need to be apart of it; bloodshed, and tears will be brought for a ride. _Come on, Alex, he is more colourful than you. And, more refreshed._

"Okay," I deeply groan at the prospect of enduring through one of Jake's excruciatingly boring briefings. I had too much of them when we was strolling around the idea of taking on the mantle of hero. "talk me through it, both clearly, and... without giggling like a fan-boy." I rub my eyes, wiping the built up weariness from them.

"First of all, my dazzling destroyer of crime, we must make a blueprint for the next evolution of the mechanised clothing- it has to be heroic, but dark, and intimidating. Secondly, we _need_ a workshop to manufacture all of this. Any old piece of junk will do. Lastly, money, money, money." Jake informs me of his spectacularly standard tactic.

"Money can be provided by me, still, I don't earn much; should be enough to tide us over." I thoughtfully give my input forth, mentally summing up my wages, and living costs. _Damn, being a hero is expensive. I wonder how much Batman's gear costs. Probably more than I earn in my lifetime._

"Fantastic," Jake rubs his hands in glee. "me- being the marvellous dude I am- is acquainted with a particular person, that could sell us his workshop, for a reasonable price." he murmurs to the air, not talking to me in general.

"Bro, why get a whole workshop? I don't know how to fix anything." I reject.

"That's what your employees are for, duh." he insensitively acts like I am the lesser intelligent one with his retort. "Besides, you can learn." he winks at me, with a smirk plastered onto his mouth.

"Until then, what? I sit here twiddling my thumbs?" I wince at the way my imagination spectated the scene. The view of Black Titan aging by fifty years, all for simply waiting for some guy to sell his ownership of a repair shop. _Why would I have to wait fifty years? Gosh, you can be weird sometimes, Alex._

"Alex, you kind of have to use StarrWare's on-site facilities." Jake coughs to halt himself from cackling. "Good luck with that." he salutes.

"I'm going to need it."

 **To be continued...**

 **Well, this could have gone dramatically worse; more so, anyway. Since when do I give up without a good fight? It's time to get up, and show her what I'm made of.**

* * *

 **A/N**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you will forgive my circumstance.**


	10. Chapter 9: Keeping it real

**A/N**

 **Hello, and welcome to the newest chapter of the Titan Rises. Hope all of you are doing fine, including my newest reviewers (they are the only ones that review, lol.)**

 **Reviews**

 **NickStriker: Relationship goals! By the way, your series is amazing. To my viewers- If you are reading this, be sure to take a gander.**

 **Elvisfonz23: You are undeniably my favourite reviewer, both here, and on my YJ book. Keep being spectacular, and have a nice day/evening/night.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Keep it real...**

 **Day 39- StarrWare**

Well, this could have gone dramatically worse; more so, anyway. Since when do I give up without a good fight? It's time to get up, and show her what I'm made of. "I have no idea what you are talking about, to be perfectly frank. " I assure her, lying obviously. "Why would I access company files? I'm sure I have better things to do, rather than searching through crucial documents."

"Who said anything about this being, because you seeked out a file?" Mrs. Starr raises one of her well shaped eyebrows, her crimson hair flowing by her shoulders. "As for having better things to do... I'm fairly certain that I have... an inkling into what you're on about." she calmly carries on, her voice a gentle wave amongst a spectacular storm.

"Excuse me?" I sassily reply, scoffing at her words. _What does she think I do? Be a Calvin Klein model? She has no idea how I spend my time._ Fixing me with an intriguingly blank stare, Karen Starr casually flips her hair back. In a moment of eerie silence, a smirk slowly trickles onto her lips.

"I'm talking about your... interesting hobbies- exercise, watching the news, and oh... a hero by night." she heartily clarifies, maintaining her unsettling sneer. Even though I tried my best to sustain my emotionless expression, it cascades within mere moments; my façade unwilling crumbles, and I bite back any questions. I'm at her mercy. "To be honest, I wasn't too sure, but that settles it." Karen further crushes my identity.

"What do you want?" I disdainfully question, attempting to regain my lost dignity. So, it comes down to this. Karen Starr's next words could ruin my tenure, or save it. The life force of Black Titan rests within her (beautiful) hands, and I couldn't be more spiteful about it.

"Such a cliché, handsome." she disappointingly sighs, aware that she complimented me- she wants to toy with me. "If I really wanted to 'destroy' you, or anything, your name would be on Delta news, right now." she matter-of-factly answers.

"Two questions: How did you know it was me? and if not, what do you want from me?" I threateningly demand, yet she visibly appears unfazed; amused, even.

"Answering the first: When the 'Black Titan' appears at the exact place you researched, it tends to be glaringly obvious, don't you think? To reply to the second question: to help- sponsoring your activities, gadgets, and etc." the redhead reveals, ignoring the wary gaze I am throwing at her.

"Sponsoring? Who am I? Lebron James?" I sarcastically retort, shaking my head in absolute nihilism. "You really need to search up the definition of hero in a dictionary." I jeeringly snorts, responded to by a chuckle from the rich female.

"You're funny, sweetcheeks; we need to do this more often." Mrs. Starr cheerily declares, and swiftly places right leg over the other. "What's the answer? Yes, or no."

Reflecting on my precarious predicament as of now, it would seem wise the graciously accept, or at least cordially decline the offer. However, the risks are too deep and expansive, to simply dive in head-first. Examining her demeanour, there is something off about her (at least hidden), and I can't quiet figure it out. The actions- the flirting, and the smirks- all are the hallmarks of confidence. Although not just any plausible confidence, one that is righteous and deserving. The attitude that accompanies extreme power. Nevertheless, determination prevents me from refusing the suggestion. "Sure, why not?" I flash a dramatic smile, and assuredly extend my hand.

"You just made the greatest decision of your entire life." my new 'partner' announces, simultaneously shaking my hand with her own unexpectedly firm grip. _Ouch. That wasn't a normal handshake from an average woman._ Resisting the instinctual urge to wince, I beam at Karen. "How about we celebrate this moment with style?" she merrily prompts.

"Depends on your sense of style. From what I've seen, you usually go on the expensive side- mainly jewelry, and such." I return, and slide up into a standing position. Then, I observe as my employer follows my lead, her chest bouncing as she darts up. "Shall we?" I gesture for her to lead by example, and drive through the front. Theatrically creeping by me, she winks and pursues my course of action.

"Tell me, how long ago did you become the man you are today?" she suddenly pops a question as we enter the lift, whilst I key in the R&D floor. Some nagging core of my brain warns me to ignore her, except an uncontrollable desire commands me to divulge. Quite sincerely, it's insurmountably infuriating that she is so easy to converse with, our dialogue flows like the smoothest of streams.

"A month, give or take." I nostalgically inform, hiding my inner feelings about my current evening strolls. "It's not long, but it has been a hell of a ride since then- gangs, and police- basically the entire works." I ponder the painful events of my brief vigilantism.

"Sounds pretty awful." Karen sympathetically empathises, taking me aback slightly. Never in one million years, would I expect to hear Mrs. Starr to comprehend my tribulations, markedly that she is a corporate billionaire. "Everybody has trials, even superheroes. Oddly, they are the ones that always have the most difficult solutions." she gently taps me on my shoulder.

Just as I was about to parley further, the elevator door swooshes open, and we step out in a professional unison. "Welcome to research and development, primarily used for experimenting with new ways of transportation." Karen proudly briefs over the deafening noise of heavy machinery. "However, my head designer has a knack for making equipment, so, he will be seeing you from now on." she coolly adds on. _How does she know? Apparently, she does._

After that preposterous sentence, she bounds away; out of sight before I even knew she was going. _Great, now she can powerwalk, this just keeps on getting better._ Huffing in defeat, I trudge along the floor, seeking out a hint of the person's mysterious whereabouts. "Do you need something?" a fairly elderly man approaches me, not-so-politely staring at me, similar to you would a zoo animal.

"Yes, in fact. According to Mrs. Starr, there is a lead designer I need to have a conversation with." I civilly impart, noticing the suspicious glint in his eye.

"Did she now?" he cackles, weirdly wagging his finger in the air. "And who might you be?" he cheekily requests, in a tone I can only describe as derisive.

"I'm Alex. Who are you? Doc Brown?" I gibingly repartee.

"Funny guy," the older man furiously snaps, and glares at me with a ruthless malicity. "has anyone ever told you it's rude to insult people, especially strangers?"

"Must have slipped past my parents, sorry." I brazenly comeback. A drawn-out stare down takes over, as we endlessly fight for dominance over the other. This lasts for what resembles an eternity, but my watch denies this claim- five minutes is the total. Impatiently, I collapse the contest by willingly folding, feigning ignorance to the triumph in his wide grin. "So, tell me: How are you?" I boldly ask, switching my posture to my perfect casual stance- hips wide apart, and a slight hunch of my shoulders, and back.

The recipient of my question pauses, his face contorting into one of thought, and calculation. Next, he investigates my appearance, scanning over me with a scrutinising eye. "I'm the person you seek, Alex." he eventually exposes, although with a well-hidden tone of caution. "Follow me, but also be wary; I am not your servant, only an ally." he advises, and struts off to a conveniently placed workshop, far away from the beehive of activity on the floor. _Ally? What is he on about?_ Apprehensively bringing up the posterior, I sponge up any hints about the identity of this oddity of a person. Just the way he strolls is a clue- straight, and balanced- signifying that he is possibly ex-army, or police force. Then, the manner in which he bobs his head every so often, prying for dubious behaviour; this means he is more than likely ex-police, maybe even a detective. There is also another striking attribute of this man, which is his rare limp, as though he has one, yet efforts to conceal it.

At last reaching the isolated workshop/room, we enter. Whereas I am erring on the side of wariness, he is sauntering with a confidence, even Jake would be astonished by. Gliding into the cave of darkness, I spot the noticeable lack of anything, machinery, or otherwise. "Are you sure we are in the correct place?" I presume, to his dismay, as he puffs.

"Of course, we are. Obviously, I know where my prized possessions live." he confusedly comments, slamming down on a wall three times, each a set amount of seconds between them. The second comes at an estimated three after, but the third comes one second after the previous hit. Abruptly, the wall swings open, unveiling a hollow space. "Shall we?" the elder prompts, before roaming into the hole.

"I guess so." I guardedly mutter, and gradually chase my "ally" down the rabbit-hole. Upon being invited in by the compartment, all I can utter is how mesmerising it is. Streaming down the centre of this cave-esque interior, is a gushing waterfall, and all around the sides are holding cells; this appears to be some kind of facility, however, for whom?

"What are you waiting for, Titan!? Hurry up!." the man yells, his hard voice echoing through the captivating scene. _Wait... did he just call me Titan?_ Forcing away my many doubts, I come to terms with the notion that I am far enough that there is absolutely no retreating. My movements moulded into a half-sprint, I end up leaping down to a central platform, greeted warmly by the man. "Sorry for my rudeness, but I had to keep up appearances, as people say." he genuinely apologises, to my nihilism.

"This day is rolling into a nightmare." I exhaustedly note, to which the elderly engineer chortles.

"You haven't seen the brightest side of it all, have you?" the man gaily tutts. "Yes, I do know your name: Alex Corver, aka Black Titan. Yet, I also know that you are in desperate need for a new suit. So, talk to me."

"Talk to you?" I incredulously solicit, wanting to have him explain what the hell he meant by "talk to me.". As for all I could comprehend, he could interpret that as give me your whole life story, or purely how is your day? Either way, this situation is getting out of hand, real quick.

"Yes, talk to me. Have you got any specific requests for your new piece of gear- smoke bombs, bullet-proofing, and etc- the whole shebang." he zealously clarifies, looking as if he would explode if I didn't tell him within the next three seconds.

"One thing: Who the living god, are you?" I enquire, befuddled as to who he thinks he is, coming up to me, and demanding my suggestions.

"Oh yes, I am Mister Smith, but you can call me Smithy, or Smith; take your pick... I know Mrs. Starr has." Smithy uncovers his surname, outwardly revelling at the instance. "Oops, I shouldn't have said that." he afterthoughts.

"Mrs Starr?" I shockingly ask. First off, what is Karen playing at? Secondly, why did I agree to this mess? and lastly, when will this all end? "Why di-"

"Ignore I said that." he sharply interrupts, just as I was asking about the intentions of the billionaire.

"Okay then, back to the Mark II." I redirect the conversation, tapping my feet on the platform anxiously. There are a minimum of two things I want this suit to be: flexible, and well-equipped. Lacking any proofing myself, it would make sense to place a couple of safeguards in the mix. Concluding with a decisive decision, I smirk.

"Here is what I want."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Here you go, honoured viewers. In my opinion, this is where the story finally starts to draw to a conclusion, so be sure to tune in. As I stated before, this is a prologue, so there will be sequels, due to the relative success of the series, and the chapters will be around 5,000 words each.**


	11. Chapter 10: Mark II

**A/N**

 **Hello again, people, and welcome to another chapter. So soon, I know.**

 **But, this has reached 500 views! Sooo amazing!**

 **Reviews**

 **Shiny Knight: Thanks for the feedback, I will attempt to fix that for that for you.**

 **Elvisfonz23: Do you ever stop being nice? You are too awesome to describe. Damn... I just did. Anyway, I love it that you think it's comedy gold.**

 **Nick Striker: Yep, I will be reading your second chapter. And, I am excited for this future cross-over.**

 **Also, a thank you to The Human Virus, for favouriting and following.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Mark II**

 **Day 41- Secret Cave**

Precisely fitting on the last piece of my advanced, new armour- the guantlets- I go through my mental checklist of all my numerous gadgets. First of all, I press a switch on my forearm and electricity visibly crackles through my fingers, sparks twitching them slightly. Then, the new weapons I will now wield- a modified M9 handgun, filled with tranq darts; located on the holster on my right thigh. Next, the grappling guns attached to my forearms, potentially used for scaling buildings. If you press in a tiny button on my right peck, a compartment slides open, revealing vital pieces of survival equipment- a rebreather, a med-kit, spare batteries for my gloves, and a small tracker. Finally, my suit itself. A weapon in its own right, its composition is of a substantially dense fiber, but also light and flexible. However, its true strength is its mysterious spine, laced with what Smithy calls "Nth Metal"; supposedly a physical enhancer. At last, the awesome domino mask, hiding my eye colour with a weird lens.

"Judging by the awe-struck face, you like it." Smithy proudly comments, examining my apparel for one last time. "Good, because I'm not making another." he adds on, grumpily.

"That's fine by me, gramps. Still, it is actually cool." I approvingly appraise, checking out the design in the mirror. This creation looks like a metallic compound due to the appearance of the fibre, and along the spine is noticeably darker, showing off the Nth metal. Woven across the chestpiece is three lines, stretching from my right shoulder to left waist, each bearing a dark red against the black background that is the majority of the armour; they give the imagery of a huge claw marks, (supposedly) representing the ferocity in which I pursue my enemies. Despite my name- Black Titan- I guess that does seem heroic, yet not similar to my alias. That is why we put something... extra in. Based on the front of my chest, a symbol lies- the mark of Hyperion, one of the mythological beings. Lacking creativity myself, it's fair to say that Smith is Da Vinci reincarnated.

"Cool? It's not supposed to be cool, but efficient and worthy of your skills." Smith heavily sighs, fixing me with a gaze of obvious disapproval. "Now, be a good hero, and find something to fight. We need to get it on a trial run; see what it's made of." Smithy brazenly orders, tapping away at a computer with the delicacy of a pianist.

"Find something to fight? To be honest, I don't seek out a lowlife to hit, they usually come to me." I incredulously gasp. What is this guy thinking? That I just go on patrols, and beat down anyone that steps out of line. This is reaching critical point. "Before you be sarcastic, yes I know, I should let them come to me then." I cut him off before he could even open his mouth fully. "Let's test away." I warily continue.

"Just be careful as that suit costs more than Laker's game tickets." Smithy sincerely warns, being thoroughly genuine in his emphasis. Sometimes, I have no earthly clue why I stuck around here. Both him and Karen know, however if I do escape, who's to reckon that they publish my secret.

"Don't say that to Kobe." I mockingly advise, simultaneously spinning on my heels and bounding off of the platform, heading to the emergency exit. By that, I mean the " hero's" entrance... through the sewers. Sliding open the grate via a minute button, I trudge into the hole, instantly being met by a rancid stench.

Choking back bile, I disgustingly wade through the water; luckily, the suit is water-proof. Reflecting on it now, maybe I should have hung up the boots a while ago. Compared to most other superhero's, I am practically a rookie. Whereas most villain's are powered, the people I have squared off against are chiefly humans. What does that say about me? Am I weak, or just lucky?

There is only one other peer I can relate with at the moment, and that's the Dark Knight. The Batman's elegance and ruthless brutality combines perfectly. Although I will never reach his levels of these, I can aspire to be a fraction of his effectiveness. For me, Superman is too gullible; his belief in humanity is insurmountably flawed, and he refuses to use his full powers, testifying against his weakness- his compassion. In the right amounts, it's an unshakeable resolve, but at the Man of Steel's levels, it's glaringly suffocating.

Black Titan is not a member of the hallowed Justice League, and yet I can comprehend the reality. Even the Caped Crusader is marginally wrong; his drive for justice, outshines the need for order. When he reprimands offenders, he does so individually, observing Gotham's troubles as caused by few, not by the place itself. Order is what maintains the world's stability. It doesn't need to be enforced with cruelty for it to be practical, but some sentients have a knack of visualising it that way. So, out of the defenders Earth has to offer, I sympathise with the Green Lantern's the most. They act with certainty, and not as restricted in terms of morals. Yes, they can't kill... nevertheless, the corps main principles are peace through co-operative order. Dissenters are punished, the populace flourish.

As for my agenda, it's purely simple. In a city that has falsified control over the population, I want to reshape it, anew. No longer will the corrupt police feign order, ignorant to the disease rotting away at the cities' core. "Morons." I furiously mutter as I reach halfway to the downtown surface. To exercise this virus, I need to watch the wider view. Delta City was founded to be a modern utopia- free of crime, and the new American dream. It needs to be a metropolis that heals itself of wounds; to be independent, and where its society labours in unison to guard each other from harm. Not forced, but voluntary.

All variables considered, it is definitely possible, yet improbable. Story of my life, so far, I guess. "Just be careful as that suit costs more than Laker's game tickets" I snort, imitating the elderly engineer. _Sure, I will; risk my life to save a suit, no problem._ I muse, irritated by the command. _He does have a point, though._ I admit.

Carrying on with my tedious stroll, I figure out the next few phases of my dreadful life. The next section will no doubt include being recruited into the prestigious Justice League; well, a hero can dream. After that, more than likely I would die, painfully. If I find some miniscule odd to survive, anything is within my eager reach. Big Seven, I'm in. The Trinity- who needs Superman? _Yeah right, I have to get in the damn group first._ I scoff at the idea.

And, I must prove myself to the mighty heroes of Earth. A task very few have ever hoped to achieve in their tenures... ie Waterfall.

Hearing a sudden splash of water, I swerve in the direction of the noise. On the water, I sight a gentle ripple emanating from an epicentre. _That shouldn't have caused a huge noise_ I reason, and keep my eyes trained on the position. "Am I hearing things, now?" I chuckle, realising I just wasted three minutes of my life. "Great."

Resuming my travels, I focus my enhanced senses to be on the watch for any dubious activity, just in case. _How long is this going to take?_ I complain at the sheer length of walking to be done, not mentioning the horrid environment I am in.

Presiding over a city full of residents is tough, especially for someone like me. The Green Lanterns preside over an entire galaxy, however they have massive ranks. Then, you have the Flash, capable of zooming into every corner of Central City within milliseconds. Being semi-normal is okay, but it can... demoralise you. Everyday, I wake up wondering if today will be my doom. When I survive to experience tomorow, fear comes with it; death could be around the corner. I guess that's a side dish for all the joys that accompany heroism.

The expressions of pure joy, plastered along people's mouths as they cheer and applaud you; not what you've done, but _you_ The endless numbers of children, buying toys and merchandise with your name on it. So, this hasn't happened to met yet, nevertheless it could happen... right? Anyway, just how civilians seek you out if in dire straits, and cry with hope when you arrive. This is starting to become my dreams, not reality. Delta City views me as another Batman- cruel, but necessary. That has to adapt if I am to become what I was born to be.

Partly, that's why I amended the dynamics of the Mark II; to be more inspiring, to be more heroic. Just as hastily as I took up the mantle of Black Titan, I shaped what it meant to be the... 'Silent Savior', as the citizens have begun to call me.

Shaking away my many clouding thoughts, I adventure to the light starting to peek through a manhole grate. _Damn, it's still light out._ I curse at the sight, and patiently lean against the sewer wall. Checking my gear with earnest zeal, I silently wish it had a smell dampener. The stench is growing with every momentary sniff.

After six painstaking hours pass (I checked with each second), I traverse to the refreshingly bland-smelling surface. "Good riddance." I spit at the manhole, attempting to rude my mouth of the musty tang that resides there. Then, wallowing in the cooling night air, I decide to run to my intended objective, the poorer suburbs. Known for the gang violence that erupts there- spawned by frustration- during the bitter evenings of Delta City.

Before I even entered the infamously dangerous district, I caught a suspicious glance at a well-dressed, tall man, stood professionally in front of a car with his hands over his groin area. _Hello... what are you doing here... at this time at night?_ Allowing myself an entertained smirk, I swiftly dance out of his view, rolling behind a parked car. Analytically flying my eyes around the rooftops, I discover a building with a flat top. "Bingo." I aim my wrist-launcher, and readily shoot, hitting the edge of the roof.

Reeling it in tentatively, I am astounded that am I still alive by the time I clambered up the side of the building. _Thank you, Smithy._ I mentally rejoice and peek over the edge. The ominous man remains acutely tranquil in the middle of the road, seemingly awaiting a guest. Right on que, another man comes out of the building opposite, guardedly scanning his surroundings.

When he promptly dashes across the road, I detect his shocking identity, via a brief glimpse of his distinct face.

The Commisioner.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **How coincidental, isn't it? Why is the Commisioner meeting someone? See in the next glorious chapter!**

 **Hope you enjoyed, and see you in the next instance of this Prologue/Prequel**


	12. Chapter 11: Tango Sighted

**A/N**

 **Hello and welcome to this latest episode, my dazzling friends. A huge shoutout to Shiny knight for some quality advice. And, we officially have 20 reviews, and 550 views!**

 **Reviews**

 **Shiny knight: Thank you so much for the feedback, your stories are also amazing.**

 **Elvisfonz23: You know how much I love you, right?**

 **Nick Striker: Here is your 'more'**

* * *

Feeling the cool, gentle winds of the night wash over my slightly shocked face, I prepare my heart for any further sudden twists to come. I can comprehend the fact he is here, but the fact that it's in the dark expanses of the night, that's what truly takes me aback. Despite his apparent hatred towards me, I only had an inkling that he was shady. Maybe even on a dubious payroll.

However, I can't deny the sight. The commissioner is here, and seemingly to actively take part in some illegal activities. Of course, I am speculating and everyone- even him- has the right to be innocent until proven otherwise. Justice comes before personal grievances, that is the way of a 'hero' like me. Or, at least similar to how I operate.

 _For once, I won't mind catching this bad guy._ I stifle a snort at the prospect of 'arresting' the police commisioner. _Maybe even get a few names from him; he's bound to be on the payroll of someone._

Darting up when he slides into the back of the glossy, black car- opened by the professional looking guard, of some sort- I silently crouch and tip-toe to the edge of the building. The eerie silence makes a potential fall seem much worse, judging by the knot in my stomach when I peer down. The dull, paved floor seems uneasily too far, in my opinion. Then again, I am perched on top of a high building.

A smooth rev can be heard by my enhanced hearing as the engine of the automobile fires up, coughing out any excess waste via the exhaust. The quiet grumble signals to me that the commissioner is taking a leave of absence, kicking my mind into gear, and figuring out several possible routes.

One such action is that I use my homing beacon and implant it on the exterior of the vehicle, thereby allowing me to pursue the car from an inconspicuous distance. However, this would have a major drawback- the minute chance that I completely miss the rear and hit the surface of the road. Another is purely straightforward: charging down there and interrogating them now, before they decide to excuse themselves from my view. Still, it's not the most effective method, considering that the target is the local police commissioner; more than likely armed, and willing to shoot me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the car starting to pull put out of it's parked position. Given that it's escaping, my timeframe to decide has become drastically reduced. _It's now or never, so get ready._

Hastily pressing down on the utility compartment located on my chest, I collect the tiny tracker, and place it into my outstretched right palm. The tracker is light and soft, almost as the weakest of touches would snap it in two. Definitely not what a hero would tend to use in these types of predicaments, or in any other to be honest. I guess that I will have to hope and pray that Smithy did a fantastic job, and it isn't as pathetic as it feels.

Drawing back my powerful arm, I take aim at the rear, specifically the bumper. And, with a precise launch I direct it perfectly, the tracker landing not an inch from where it was intended to be. "Smithy, I need you to locate that tracker you gifted me." I speak into the comm installed into the suit on the underside of my left arm.

"Haven't lost the suit yet, have you?" comes the irritating response, the voice crackling from the embedded speaker.

"No," I bite back, my eyes seeking out an adequate grappling point. "just do it, please." I end up sighing, my short jubilation at finding a spot eroding away. "And make it quick, he's getting away."

Leaping into the air, I fire the grapple at the ledge before I could slam against the sidewalk. Gratefully watching it cling onto the wall, I commence with the tedious procedure of reeling my body in. As I was floating up, a spark of thought emerges in the back of my mind.

 _What if I did die one of these times? Who would attend my funeral?_ Surely, a few people would arrive to show their respects and give their condolences. I may not be the popular employee at StarrWare, but I have an inkling that some would gather the energy to turn up. Although my parents and I haven't been in contact for the recent years, I hope they would somehow find out and show up to grieve. _Grieve? They haven't shown a shred of emotion to me in my whole existence._

"Are you ignoring me?"

The question throws me offguard as I climb up the ledge of the roof, seeming to be out of nowhere. "Sorry, I was just dangerously climbing up the side of a building ; no time to talk." I tell the half-truth, mixing a lie with the truth in a useful combination.

"Well, get yourself together- the beacon is heading to the commercial district, around the town hall." Smithy eagerly reveals, apparently revelling in the opportunity for some real action.

"Thanks, man." I acknowledge his hard work and superior computing skills. " See you in a bit."

Knowing my destination, I scramble down to the road by dropping to the floor. _It's better to run. That way I will cover ground ten times faster than using the hook._ Intaking a large amount of air with a deep gulp, I slowly pick up the pace; my walk gradually evolving into a rhythmic jog, and then a full-blown run. The pounding of my armoured feet on the road and the crunching sound it makes gives me a feeling I have forgotten all about.

For the first time since I became a hero, I am actually... happy.

* * *

 **25 minutes later...**

Overlooking the city hall with an examining eye, I analyse all possible escapes. To the left of the building is several windows, large enough to allow me to fit through. Then, there is also obscure pathway leading from the side of the building into an adjacent carpark, shielded from prying cameras by a wide oak tree. _Just what I need- a route that he will jump at the chance to take._

Grappling to the governmental building, I zoom across and grasp the underside of a window.

Slowly forcing open the locked, unorthodox entrance, I slip in without a peep of sound or exertion of effort. The way the window lies means that my technically illegal entry was smooth and easy, compared to the possibly loud and difficult maneuver that it would have been, if it was too shallow.

Pressing my right ear against the door situated to my side, I gradually begin to slither up.

"How is this not a problem?! Have you got any idea how much this vigilante is costing us?!"

As soon as I fully creaked into a stood position, those words drifted into my ears. The voice is unmistakably hostile and furious, reflecting the apparent mood of the male owner, judging by the depth of the pitch.

"He isn't a problem! But these people you consort with are!" another male voice responds, equally as wrathful. Yet, it didn't escape my attention that whoever it is feels the desire to defend me, and my recent actions. "You started this mess, a long time ago." the voice reduced to a low whisper.

"I gave you everything, 'lix." the person who I first heard gasps. "Helping you become the commissioner cost me a lot of favors." was his addition, solidifying my initial guess. It appears that Commisioner Felix may have a soft side, after all.

"Favors with who? Criminals?"

Commisioner Felix lets out a noise similar to a chuckle, a small trickle of fear radiating from the forced vocal sound. "You didn't give me this, you forced me. In doing so, I became a lackey of your 'friends' and have to watch my city burn, because if I tell someone they will kill me." the passionate resonance absorbs into the atmosphere, like shoving emotion into your heart. "Believe it or not, you did this."

"I could waste my breath talking about how ungrateful you are, but... I know it would be a waste of my precious time." a slam of wood accompanies the sound, followed closely by a heavy, weary sigh. The lengthy interlapse between the door closing and the exhale of breath conveys the tense encounters personal touch. Seemingly, these two have a relatively close relationship.

Well... up until now.

 _I reckon it's about time that the Black Titan makes a sudden reveal._ Dramatically sliding open the lavish door, I breach with an air of confidence and swagger. _Looks like the pig has met the fire. Now, time to turn him into bacon._

Almost collapsing onto the floor, he frantically scrambles around for a firearm. Or, he was until I bounded up to the man and held him by the neck- crossing my arms over around his windpipe, pressing down ruthlessly. "Shhh." I hush, observing the facial features of the police boss- at first anger, then frustration, and finally, resignation. "If i let go, will you be quiet?" I pause for a nod of acceptance before releasing the hold. The commissioner convulses, desperately in taking the air vacuum that was created.

"What the he-"

"Remember what I politely asked of you, Commisioner Felix. Next time, you open that trap without my permission, I won't let go." I sharply interrupt with a clear threat. "It's about time that me and you had a long chat. To be frank, it's overdue by a long shot." I step back in an attempt to seem less intimidating as usual. In most of the encounters I've had it works, however, this is a different circumstance. One that calls for warmth and empathy. "Sorry for the... disturbance, commissioner. Although," I halt theatrically. "I couldn't help, but overhear your conversation. You're a dirty boy, Mr Felix." I resist the increasing temptation to smirk.

"If you did hear, then you would know that I hate it. This deal has torn apart my life." he makes his case. "it destroyed my family, my parents, my happiness in life." he solemnly elaborates, his head drooping.

"You can change all of that, maybe redeem yourself." I guide him to the most comfortable chair I can discover, and gently place him down.

"How? How can I change something that is so messed up?"

Those questions tore my heart away from my brain. My every instincts are yelling at me to feel sympathetic and pity him, whereas the rational part of my mind is implying that he is stalling me. When people tell you to follow your heart, they never understand that the mind is a cold and calculating thing, needed more knowledge to fuel compassion.

"What should you do? Only you can figure that question out. What would I do? It's true to say that I would resign; defiance is the most complex path, but... the more inspiring one. As I said, it's up to you and no one else." I cordially answer, maintaining a respectful distance, and not interfering with his thought process.

A thick mire of conscious deliberation envelops him, emphasising the exhausted circles around his eyes. It remains this way for some length of minutes; weighing up the consequences, and planning a goal.

After I almost cave in to my growing boredom, he at last gives a conclusion.

"I know what I have to do."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **As all ways, hope you enjoyed.**

 **And see you soon.**


	13. Chapter 12: Beserk

**A/N**

 **Good to see you again, people of fanfiction. I hope you are having a great holiday season, so far. In the UK, Christmas day is on a friday.**

 **Review**

 **Nick Striker: Calm yourself, questions are only a natural part of life. Lol. Believe me, the answers are coming.**

 **Elvisfonz23: Thanks for the feedback again, another reason to carry on reading my YJ book.**

 **Shiny Knight: Thanks for your fair critisism and advice, it will help me a lot in the future. Also, I will read your book when it comes out, I promise.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Ancestral woes...**

 **Day 43- StarrWare**

The perfection to which I executed my master plan, means that I am quite happy with myself. In fact, I am delighted with the result. It's not very often that I can safely say that I am pleased with the way I handled the problem. However, this time is one of a kind- successful and without any notable hiccups on my part.

"What are you so happy about?"

I spin around in my chair, sheepishly biting a pen. Of course, I am still an employee at StarrWare and I should behave appropriately. So, when the CEO appears and comments on your laziness, it tends to be because you are about to be severely reprimanded.

"Nothing... just that the weather is bright and colourful." was my hastily put together response, earning me a disbelieving smirk.

"Okay, so nothing to do with the resignation speech that has been scheduled for today. I hear the press will be all over it, like bloodhounds." she says. Her general posture radiates humour and amusement, emphasised by the wide smirk painted onto her face. "Get back to work, _employee_." she winks, and struts off.

Breathing in a breath of relief, my eyes once again shift to my 'new' desk. By that, I mean placed directly in front of Mrs Starr's office, making me appear to be more of an assistant than head of security. No doubt she wants to keep me on a literally short-leash, judging by the movement. _At least I get a front row_ _seat_ , _in the case she gets attacked,_ I morbidly encourage.

Proceeding to flick through the TV screen to my overhead left, I seek out any form of entertainment. Ranging from Keeping up with the Kryptonians and The Real Houswives of Gotham, anything would sate my boredom. Although, the only thing that catches my eye is the Delta City news, showcasing my latest adventures in earnest fashion. A robbery halted here, a murder prevented there. Damn, I get all the best crimes.

And, it's about to broadcast my recent triumph. The wonders of publicity.

"Do you mind if I... look at the TV every once in a while? Just to you know... get my daily intake of vital pieces of information, which could seriously affect the security of the company in the future?" I ask Karen.

"As long as no screaming, verbal abuse, or cheering occurs, then fine; those are against company rules, which _I_ made." she accepts.

"Hell yeah." I mutter and glue my eyes to large screen, flicking around to spectate the surroundings of the broadcast. On top of a platform is a raised desk- commonly used for speeches- and below is an enclosed area, presumably for the potentially massive amount of press. The platform is out in the open, directly in the centre of the local shopping plaza.

The camera view quickly switches to the news anchors, who appear visibly excited. "Welcome to Delta City news, and I hope everyone is having a fine day." the male anchor introduces. "In a moment we will bring you over to our reporter on the scene of the expected, and sudden resignation of the police commissioner. What are your thoughts, Lisa?" he cordially asks his co-anchor.

"Well, it certainly is an abrupt turn of events, that's for sure. However, we can say that maybe the rumours that are going around, are simply that- rumours." she says.

"There is a chance of this being a simple speech, but that won't stop our tenacious reporter. Now, to you." the male beams at the camera. It then transforms into the view of the local reporter, who is positioned with her back to the podium.

"Thanks, guys. We are here at the press conference and I can tell you that the atmosphere is electric. Everyone is ready to get their questions in, and are willing to get some photos of Commissioner Felix. One things is certain: the security is tight- there are guards everywhere, armed and watching." the reporter informs with a wide smile. Then, she puts her fingers to her right ear. "We just got in that the commissioner is coming out, right now." her speech was eventually drowned out by the frenzy of reporters, each bellowing out their questions.

Unexpectedly, the man of the hour seems to be relatively calm under the spotlight. He marches along the platform until he reaches the raised desk and places his hands at either side.

"Many of you are here today, wondering if I am about to announce something. To those of you that are... I want to say that you are right, I am announcing something during this speech. Although, I want you to listen closely throughout." he starts. Silence chokes the crowd, whose voices are reduced to low whispers. _That's right, hush,_ I snort at the sight.

"People- all the way through my life- have told me about what's right and wrong. Some were from my parents, teachers, and friends. The others came from my instincts and heart. It's obvious that my heart didn't agree with my friends from time-to-time. So, I have made the choice to follow my heart, instead of following the whims of others. That is why I want to divulge the names of all those who are co-"

His speech was interrupted by a loud crash, accompanied by a huge man landing on the platform, almost breaking right through it. _Oh dear, this isn't good._ I dart up from my chair, but am met by Mrs Starr's gaze. Sitting back down gingerly, I focus on the TV again.

"Who are you?" the commissioner boldly asks, being met by a hearty chuckle from the mountain of a human.

"I am warrior." the intruder answers in a thick Scandinavian accent. "You are nothing." he chuckles and swiftly tilts his head back, pointing it up to the sky. Then, he chants in a language I have never heard of before " **Valdyr,Valdyr,Valdyr.** " he chants at the sky in a sinisterly deep tone. A weird sensation tingles my spine. The type that occurs in humans when they witness the unknown. A faint shape seeps into his mouth, taking the form of a wolf.

Before I could comprehend, the man leaps onto the commissioner and begins to savagely bite him. The crowd screams and the camera shakes, conveying that they are fleeing.

All feeling of warmth drains from my body. _This was my fault. He was there, because of me, and no-one else._ For once, my body refuses to accept the calling of battle. My legs go limp and my mind doesn't process my movements. _There is no way he could've survived such an attack. The man, he just went... beserk._ That final adjective sticks into my head.

"Beserk." I whisper, allowing my head to lean on the table.

Bringing it back up, I glance around to see that Karen is missing from her office. That should be technically impossible, as she must have exited from the front and I would have heard that.

"This day keeps on getting worse."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **I am sorry for the shorter chapter, but this is all I needed to get in here.**

 **Peace out.**


	14. Chapter 13:Dawn of a new Age

**A/N**

 **Well... here I am, again. This will be one of the last chapters. I hope you enjoyed this series, and a lot of the questions posed in the prologue wil be answered in the second edition.**

 **The review system is a tad glitchy, so I can't remember who sent reviews. Thanks to you guys, anyway.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this, and if any of you watch Vampire Diaries, please check out my Alaric standalone. It will involve vampire hunting, alcohol, and the whole works.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Dawn of a New Age...**

In my entire life... I have never felt more hopeless. It was my decision to convince the ex-commissioner to retire, and it's my fault he's dead. Heroes don't get do-overs, but if I did... then I would definitely change that fateful moment. Life is bound to end, but not in that way. No one should ever suffer at the hands of another, simply to erase the truth.

Yet, he did.

And it's all my fault.

"Are you okay?" a voice gently asks from behind me, similar to that of my employers. In fact, it is hers.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking. That's all." I respond, facing my desk and avoiding the obvious gaze of Karen Starr. Her teasing is something that I don't want, right now.

"Is that so?" she spins my chair around so I'm directly looking at her face. "It's not your fault and you couldn't have stopped it. That's a fact, Alex. If every time you made a bad choice, you break down, then nothing would be accomplished. We wouldn't protect those who need it most." she assures. However, I only just caught the 'we'. Whether through a slip of the tongue or accident, I found the experience in her voice.

"We?" I probe, making her face quickly arrange into a smile.

"Obviously you, dear." she says, once again returning to her flirtatious tone. "Who else would I be talking about?" she asks, innocently smiling.

I don't buy it. Not for one second.

"Nobody, I guess." I say. "Then again, you could have other 'sponsors' couldn't you? After all, you did want to get one. So... why stop?" I shrug my shoulders, brazenly calling out my own boss, for some odd reason. _It will be a miracle if she doesn't fire me on the spot._

"I guess I see that you have potential. Otherwise, I wouldn't have considered the offer in the first place." she deftly parries, showing her natural charisma. _Charisma is also the traits of spies, liars, and actors,_ I resist the temptation to confront her whilst I can. _The workplace isn't a terrific place for a heated discussion. Leave it, Alex._

"Fair enough." I theatrically sigh.

"Sir, we have a situation!"

The voice crackles over the earpiece with desperation and heavy breathing, signally that something has gone very, very wrong. Emphasised by the cries that can now be heard, I can tell the situation is certainly dire. Other than that, I have to assess the predicament accordingly. _I hate my miserable life._

First and foremost is the safety of Mrs. Starr. "Mrs..." I notice the absence of my unfortunate sponsor. "Damn!" darting to her office, I check and she is also missing from there. It appears that I have to figure out a secondary plan. If it's not too inconvenient.

"What is this magic?" a deep grunt comes over the comm. "That man wore it around his ear." he muses to himself. _I guess plan B has to be soon._

"Hello."

"A man is inside my head." the voice states, obviously confused about modern technology. "Get out!" he yells, followed by a loud bang, with a cry of pain. _Did this guy really hit his head on a wall? What an idiot._

Playing along, I say "Why are you here? Leave, now."

"I want Titan! A fight is needed!"

 _Okay... I'm presuming that this is the same vile being that killed the commissioner,_ I think. Since he appears to enjoy going around and assaulting innocent lives, I will need to stop him before this gets any worse than it already is. _You ready, tough guy? I'm coming._

* * *

Now wearing my suit after a brief visit to the dark cave full of mysteries, I jog into the main building. Wherever this villain is causing chaos, people will be streaming away in the dozens. So, I was unpleasantly surprised to find no people fleeing for their overpaid lives. That should mean the intruder has already to this section of the building. Or... he is still here. Personally, I'm hoping for the latter, because it means he gets knocked out quicker.

A quiet rustle of paper causes me to instinctively spin around, anticipating an attack. It remains that way for a while- me on guard, listening carefully for any hints. _It's nothing,_ I assure myself. _I'm still a little jumpy from all this stress._

Suddenly, I am thrown across the office with a tremendous barge.

Landing heavily on a desk and sliding off the side, I secretly wish I didn't rupture a kidney or anything as inconvenient as that. _Damn,_ I curse as I force my aching body to stand again. "That's going to hurt for a while. Oh... gone." I comment at the rapid recovery due to enhanced human healing.

"You know that hurting people is against the law, right?" I sarcastically ask the bulking assailant, who is the exact same person I assumed. " _My laws._ "

The scandanavian-looking man glares with tenacity. "I only obey the laws of the gods. And they demand I fight the strongest."

"Are you serious?" I ask, amused and slightly disturbed by his religious zeal at the same time. "This is the twenty first century! No god demands that you fight. Who are you? Thor?"

"How dare you insult the god of thunder!" the wannabe yells. "I am a warrior of Odin, and Valhalla only awaits the best warriors."

Trying to wrap my head around the fact this guy _could be_ a viking, I come up with the next question. "Soo... you want me, but that doesn't explain how you knew I was here. How did you know?"

Beserk sinisterly laughs in a hearty bellow "You don't want to find out." _Oh yes, I do._ "Now, you _die_!"

Almost before I could react, he picks up a computer and launches it at me. However, I manage to catch and discard it in one swift motion, dropping it to the ground on my left. "Come get it," I taunt by motioning for him to bring it on.

With a roar, he stampedes towards me with full steam, smashing wooden desks and chairs out of the way. Just before he reaches me, I pull out my M9, and roll under cover- a desk- to my right, and shoot his thighs. The darts sink into his flesh and cling on for dear life. Although he scrambles to remove the sleep-inducers, the damage has already been done and he stumbles around, dangerously close to tipping over.

But, I doesn't last and he stabilises, more furious than ever. "Not good." vaulting over the desk, my feet barely touch the ground before I am rammed into, being catapulted into next week. "Owww." I moan, and attempt to get up. However, I am impeded by the viking and he stands over me.

Strangely, he doesn't attack and instead rears up like a horse, or a _bear._ As he prepares to come crashing down, I side roll and simultaneously kick his right shin, dropping him momentarily to one knee.

Taking my only chance, I escape his death blow and run away to the safety of a cubicle. Fiddling with my holster, I sigh at the empty holder. _Must have lost it earlier,_ I think. The next plan is to play on his weaknesses, and I spotted a few.

All of his attacks almost seem animalistic and crude, yet retaining a smart brain behind them. Barging into me when I was most vulnerable, ripping out the darts- he knows what he is doing. Beserk's only real vulnerability is his charge, where my speed and agility gives me a great edge. So, how about we use it?

Taking in a deep breath, I leave the small square and head into the open with my hands up. "You got me!" I deceive him. _Speaking of which, where is my boss?_ "It's over! You can kill me." I say, but I may have overkilled it a little.

Grunting from the energy exertion, he charges again. This time, I am heading in with a gameplan- to win.

When he reaches exactly three arms lengths away, I start with my plan and bend my knees slightly. When he exceeds two arm lengths, I extend and leap up with as much power from my enhanced muscles as I can.

Clearing Beserk's head by a few inches, I spin around three hundred and eighty degrees, kicking him directly in the forehead. After that, he went down like a sack of heavily muscled potatoes. Fairly surprising considering his apparent toughness, or lack of it. _Now... for the interrogation._

Grabbing him by the neck with my right hand, I slap him across the face, hard enough to grant him consciousness. "Who sent you!?" I snarl in his face, trying to be at least mildly frightening. "I want names! Places! And everything!"

My enemy chuckles to himself. "A shocking revelation." he vaguely answers.

"They always want to do it the hard way." I clamp down on his trachea, cutting off his oxygen supply. Strangles gasps come from his mouth as he struggles to breathe under my grip. Figuring my show of force is done, I loosen my hold and listen to him gulping for air. "You get my message?"

The expression on his face answers the question for me. He's realised that I don't hesitate to cross the line in search of justice. "The man you are looking for, he is by the place where ships sail." he reveals.

Examining his face for hints of lying, I see none and knock him out with a brutal headbutt.

Accomplishing my goal of finding out why he is there, I wish I didn't. Firstly, somebody knows I work here, and is ready to kill people to get to me. Secondly, the name disturbs me, however I'm not quite sure why. All things analysed, the day was a mixture of a success and failure. Once again... story of my life.

"A little rough, don't you think?" a female voice asks from behind.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Thanks for reading this, and if any of you watch Vampire Diaries, please check out my Alaric standalone.**


	15. Chapter 14: Death is Eternal

**A/N**

 **Welcome back to this series, and before I start, please check out Nick Striker's book as it will have a crossover down the line. His OC is excellent.**

 **Reviews**

 **Elvisfonz23: Cheers. Karen is an actual DC character, and is in fact a prominant one as well.**

 **Nick Striker: Thanks. Good luck with your next chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Death is Eternal**

"Being rough is what you need when dealing with people who have no morality. Or did they tell you different in the scouts?" I turn around to face the new emergence. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, and an average height- standard. What's most surprising is the white costume- containing a bosom hole-with a red cape and blue gloves. Yet, she has a certain familiarity around her stature. With her hands placed on her hips, and head titled slightly, she almost looks like...

"Karen! Is that you?" my voice goes higher at the realisation, through shock. "Why are you wearing, that _thing?_ My god, you look..."I couldn't help but ask about the revealing nature of her clothes.

"What's wrong with it!?" she gasps. "And yes, it's me. Thanks for shouting my secret identity to everyone. A little bit of secrecy would be appreciated." she adds on, looking around the office.

"So, if it is you, why are you dressed up like that?" I ask, genuinely confused.

She shakes her head. "I'm a superhero, duh. Call me Powergirl, or Kara, if you like. Although you should really call me Karen on work days."

 _Major brainfreeze,_ I rub my temples in an attempt to rid myself of the drama that has just erupted. Considering that the whole hero business is supposed to be straightforward- fight crime and smile for the camera- I feel like this is an episode of Vampire Diaries. _It's starting to seem unreal, too. Powergirl is supposed to be a Kryptonian from another Earth, right? Does that mean she's more like the moral Superman , or the short-fused Supergirl. Either way, she's not my cup of tea._

"Okay... if you are Powergirl, then why didn't you help me out before? After all, I did risk my life to save _your_ building from getting annihilated by a Viking maniac." I ask, mildly annoyed at the fact she could have helped me out earlier.

"Because," she answers, sitting on top of a desk. "I knew you could handle it, and I could have gotten in your way. Besides, it's all in the past and we have a villain to confront. Together."

"Together? I need to do this by myself. This person wants me to come and find him, so I will." I confidently dismiss her 'offer' of support on this confrontation. This mysterious being will get a taste of my wrath after this. It knows that I work here, so I have to take whoever it is down.

"Never go into a situation like that when you know it's a trap. Especially when you have a superpowered ally just begging for some action. Do you think that running a business is fun? Then there was that whole debacle with the overzealous client..." she pauses and stares at the desk, seemingly deep in thought. "The point is: I see that you have potential, and I... let me put this in a good way... be under my wing?"

"Be a sidekick, you mean?" I snort in amusement.

"No. More of a s _tudent_." she responds, standing up and strolling right up to my face. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, Alex. You should take it." she whispers.

I gently push her away from me. "Let me think about it."

"Take your time. You are expected elsewhere." she winks and goes back to the desk, leaving me to my thoughts.

 _Apprentice? Not the best of titles that can be bestowed, but... she could be my ticket into the Justice League. That's all that matters, right?_ I consider, pacing up and down the aisles in thought. _However, Powergirl is known for being more independent than a team player, so perhaps the league wouldn't acknowledge her recommendations. After all, they are all about the good of the team. That would include me._ The struggle for a decisive answer hits me hard. That all-important conclusion eludes me like trying to grasp smoke. _Think, Alex! She is a big deal in the wider world, and has fought against a variety of dangerous foes. I could learn things from her._

With that, I finally reach the decision that could put me on a journey to the top. And I won't stop until I make it there- make changes from the inside-out. For the sake of the entire human race. Nevertheless, I need friends and fellow heroes to share my goal. This is my first chance at that.

Breaking my pacing trance, I stride to Powergirl and let the words unfold from my mouth. "I'm in, but on one condition: no more flirting as it's severely distracting and would ruin our potential partnership. And... please don't ever call me 'sweetheart' or otherwise. We are heroes, not teenage lovers."

At the abrupt end to my rampage, Karen approvingly raises her eyebrows. "Good. Now that's settled, I say we get this figure before nightfall. We wouldn't want to wake up DCPD, would we?" Next, she slides off the desk and gives me a peck on the cheek before I could react. Unnerving, in terms of my enhanced reflexes. "That's for being honest and a gentleman." she states and leads me off by the hand.

"Have you ever flown before?" she asks as we approach the window. Something tells me that my reply won't have much affect on the outcome of this trip.

Thus, time to be blunt. "Plane- yes; by person-no. I'd rather take a walk."

"Don't be silly." she pushes me out of the window.

* * *

 **Later on...**

Sneaking around the rear of the massive building that lies in the center of the docking yard, it almost resembles the time I battled Firewall here. Out of all the people this puzzle could be, he is the absolute last that I would want it to be. Actually, I would rather have him than some of the terrible villains out there- Black Adam, Deathstroke, and even the Joker. _Why would they bother with a small-town hero like me?_ I dismiss the idea.

Rounding the corner, a group of heavily-gunned goons await. They are positioned directly at the front of the warehouse, apparently guard whatever is inside.

Remembering the precise instructions of my newfound mentor, I hold back and observe the upcoming show. According to Powergirl, it will be a wonderful distraction so that I can slip into the building without raising an alarm.

True to her word, a _car_ lands to the immediate right of the group, making them jump at the loud crash it made. _She sure knows how to make entrance,_ I give credit where it is due.

Seizing the ploy, I attach to the wall and shimmy all the way to the open entrance. It is looking awfully comparable to a trap. Still, I need to interrogate a certain somebody that I don't know, and that takes courage in it's own right.

Delving in headfirst, I extend to a standing position and warily enter, my careful eyes seeking out any hidden explosives or nasty surprises. Finding none, perhaps this person wants to actually meet. Or... worse things could be waiting for me. Personally, I would prefer to face the danger now and get it over with; fortune favours the bold.

Lights flicking on, this is starting to send chills down my spine. The illuminating light only shaping the seemingly endless trudge into a living nightmare, which I can't escape or fathom. Ominisity surrounds every aspect of the objects arround me. Everything is neatly arranged and separated by the color of the container, as though in rank of contents. It doesn't help the nerves creeping up as the walk unwinds.

Eventually reaching the end of the tunnel of shelves, I come across an open space, apart from the cloaked figure in the middle. A tingle down my spine acknowledges the depth of the predicament. This is the person that has plagued me from the start- the only rational explanation to this. And I don't want to find out who.

"Spooky man got your tongue?" the cloaked mystery asks, humour riddled in his tone.

The way the obvious man spoke, it reminds me of someone else. But, it can't be. It can't.

The man turns around.

"You." I whisper.

* * *

A/N

 **Once again, I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I got everything I wanted in there.**

 **Who is it?**

 **Clues have been scattered throughout the book.**

 **Find out in the next one.**


	16. Chapter 15: Taking Names

**A/N**

 **This is it. The end. That's all I'll say.**

 **Reviews**

 **Nick Striker: You will have to... find out.**

 **Elvisfonz23: It's been a pleasure to have you since the start, man. If you like Star Wars, a series may come out for that soon... Other than that, the next edition may take a while to make.**

 **A special thanks to those who have stuck by the series, and the 800 views you have given me. So awesome!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Taking Names And Kicking...**

No. This isn't possible. This cannot be happening. This is just a nightmare that I will wake up from. But... it is real, and I am finally confronted by the truth. It's the person I least expected it to be.

"You know that I've missed our together time?" the horrifying man from my past turns around. Yet, there is something odd about his stature. Whereas the shadow that haunts me was silent and dominating, this person is carefree and relaxed. _Something is off,_ I think, slowly tensing my muscles to respond in a moment's notice. "A point to the lab rat! Something is off! And before you ask me how, think about why." he guesses, no reads my thoughts.

"How are you here? The program was shut down." I question, feeling the same rage I experienced during the procedure.

"For them, yes; me, no. I've been observing you for a long while now." so fast that I nearly missed it, the horror shifts into the blonde figure of Jake. "Are we still best pals?"

"What!?" I resist the urge to breakdown from the emotional bombardment. Betrayal, fear, and anxiety gushes into my personal bubble of reality. "How?"

"Think about it! I'm a shapeshifter and a telepath, so... what am I?" he theatrically asks as though this was all a weekend quiz show, and a huge game to him. Still, the answer escapes my immediate attention for the time being. "I'm a Martian!" Jake molds into a tall, slender, green alien. " _And I am here with a simple task: learn everything about your race, so I can destroy it._ "

Once I got over the slight shock at having an extra-terrestrial in my mind, I respond "Okay... what does that have to do with _making me trust you! And then doing your best to ruin my life! I thought we were friends!_ " I boldly march up to the alien- who outstrips my height my a few feet- and yell in it's ugly face. However, the 'Martian' remarkably keeps it's cool and analytically stares at me. "I thought that we understood each other." my voice is reduced to a whisper as I come to my senses and discreetly back away.

" _Interesting. Human's seek companionship and once broken, they react in a way considered 'angry' by your species. I shall add that to my notes. As for understanding, I understand you better than you do yourself. I disguised myself as scientist to discover the natural potential of your species. And, you were the only successful survivor of my experiments. You are peak-human, and that intrigues me more than I can describe in your primitive language. Humans are usually weak, but once altered like yourself, they become significant obstacles to my will be changed in the future._ " the Martian thoroughly explains his findings for some reason. Maybe just to screw with my head further.

"So... all of this... was an experiment?" the thought crushes the hope that I have built over the last few months. Experiment or not, it makes me question everything that I have done to save this city from itself.

" _Yes. Since the beginning of our relationship, I have engineered the city to self-implode. Or, in better terms, to give you a test of your skills. The gangs, our unfortunate acquaintance that I sent after you, all are my doing._ "

Well... there we finally have the truth of the situation. From the start, I've done nothing but been manipulated for some sick research. How can I ever forget this and move on? The damage has already been done and I can't see a way past it. Perhaps this the end for Black Titan? For good.

If it is, then I go out on my own terms.

"What have we ever done to you?" I ask. "There has to a reason as to why you want to extinct us."

" _You're right. There is a reason why your pathetic species must die. When the White Martians waged war against my people, where was our neighbor? We have always known about humans and yet your so-called civilised race think that you are the only ones in this system. I watched my relatives die! Whilst Earth was content with it's own greed and selfishness._ " the alien paces in front of me whilst talking, feet stepping in a steady rhythm.

"Revenge. It's always about revenge."

Comparing this particular Martian to the majority of people, they aren't so different as it thinks. Both have felt helpless before and desperately seeked out a remedy to their pain. For the telepath, it's lashing out at the thing he blames for the war. With everyday humans, family and friends soothe the emotional agony, but it didn't have that. So, I almost pity the alien.

"It doesn't have to be this way." I resort to pleading. I cannot give up on the chance for everything to resolve peacefully, otherwise it won't be the last Martian to come to Earth. "There are also ways around our problems."

" _Such optimism._ " it drily remarks. " _I never revealed your name to your enemies, because I wanted you to learn for yourself how to conceal your true name. And it worked. You managed to live a fairly efficient double life and that's most likely my most astonished finding. Sorry, I was 'going off on a tangent' as humans say. No, we cannot find an alternative. It's time for you to die._ "

Before I could have time to react, I get hit over the head with glass. _Glass? Seriously, you have to do better than that._

" _If you wish_." made me regret what I just thought.

And like that, it vanished from my sight. Frantically, I turn around on the spot to attempt to find the manipulator. Martians must have some kind of cloaking device, or is simply good at hiding and evading people. Either way, I can't fight what I can't see.

My calculations come true as I am knocked to the ground from behind, and the green assailant hovers in the air directly above me.

" _Time to die_."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **There you have it folks. This is the end, and ending in true comic fashion.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed, and have a good time.**


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